Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

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Çrémad-Bhägavatam

in Practice

Compiled from the lectures of


His Holiness Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj

1
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

The contents of this book are compiled from Granthraj, the internet forum managed
by the disciples of H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj. Readers interested in the
subject matter of this book or interested in joining the forum are invited to contact
us at granthraj@yahoo.com.

First printing: 1000 copies, December 2010

Second printing: 1000 copies, October 2015

© Granthraj Press.

All rights reserved.

Compiled by: H G Tejasvi Krishna das

Designed by: H G Kalacakra Krishna das and H G Sudarshana devi dasi

Published by: H G Devakinandan das

Printed in India: Printpoint, Bangalore

2
Table of Contents
Foreword 5
Introduction 7
Transcendence in Action 9
Glorification of Maha Bhagavata Srila Mahavishnu Goswami 27
Appointment with Krishna 38
Fifteen Places to See Krishna 58
Seeing Krishna in Everything 68
Touching Krishna’s Kingdom 70
Being Devoid of Krishna is Danger 78
Jewels of Wisdom 85
Eleven Causes for Dejection 91
Whatever We Own, Owns Us 94
Detachment Should be Our Nature 97
Settlement of All Our Material Accounts 99
Pearls of Wisdom 115
Initiation Promises 118
Way Out of Fatigue 123
The Meaning of Initiation 129
Sri Krishna Sharanam 135
Real Purpose of Initiation 138
Theistic Conduct 140
The Goal of All Vedic Knowledge 143
The Supreme Absolute Truth 145
Relative Truth is not Absolute Truth 149
The Personality of Godhead is Perfect and Complete 152
Worshiping the Supreme Lord Purushottama 154
Life Begins from Cleanliness 156
Purification of Existence 162
Peace, Opulence and Bliss 170
Elevation to Perfection 175
How to Transcend? 181
How to Avoid Suffering in the Material Modes? 183

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

How to Become a Devotee? 185


How to Satisfy Krishna? 191
Attaining Taste for Glorifying the Lord 195
This is How We Should Preach 199
Protecting Ourselves from the Effects of Maya 201
Envisaging Our Spiritual Existence 203
Our Real Duty 208
A Worthy Son 214
Follow One - Nine will Come 216
Qualities Dear to Sri Krishna 219
Qualities Enacted in Spiritual Association of the Lord 226
Vaishnava Para Sukha-Sukhi 228
Suffering for Others 230
Be a SAGE 232
Organized Life 234
Krishna says T.I.M.E. I Am 236
Realizing the Importance of Time 239
Time - Use it or Lose it 242
Scriptural Injunctions 244
Srimad Bhagavatam - The Means of Conquest 250
Srimad Bhagavatam in One Hand, Duster in the Other 252
Genuine vs Fake Religion 254
N.E.T.W.O.R.K of Bhagavatam 257
Kali-yuga is an Excuse 259
Close the eyes (I’s) of Kali-yuga 261
Don’t Talk but Walk 263
Don’t Forsake the Vibrations 265
Avoid Grabbing Tendency 267
Avoid Showy Religious Fervor 269
Offering Prayers 270
Offering with Our Hearts 272
Offering to Our Spiritual Master 274
Index of Verses Quoted 277

4
Foreword
At about 3.25 pm on 25th January 2010, our beloved spiritual master, H H Mahavishnu
Goswami entered into his final pastimes in this mortal world and left us all in great grief
of separation at the Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Mira Road, Mumbai, India. The title of this
book was chosen to reflect the life and example of H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj.
Those who had the good fortune of meeting him, soon became aware that the Srimad
Bhagavatam was indeed his very life and soul. In a very simple and sublime manner he
would provide anyone practical guidance in their lives based on the teachings of the
Bhagavatam, and with this he has awakened so many souls to the importance of the
amala purana Srimad Bhagavatam. These teachings are organized and conveyed in this
book so that future generations may benefit from H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj’s
unique insight and intimate association of the Bhagavatam. May he live forever by his
divine instructions in the hearts of his sincere followers.

H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj was born in the outskirts of Mumbai in 1920 on the
auspicious day of Dattätreya Purnima in the month of Märga çérñä. He appeared in an
eight generation Vaishnava family. Aged 91, he was the most elderly sannyasi (spiritual
teacher) in ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness). Maharaj first
took darshan of Srila Prabhupada in 1973 when, as President of the London Gujarati
Community Society, he invited Prabhupada to be guest-of-honour at the society’s annual
function. There Srila Prabhupada’s lecture marked the turning point in Maharaj’s life.
Srila Prabhupada had stated that whenever we meet our friends, we ask them so many
material things, like how is your business, your family etc. But this is simply a waste of
time. If we really cared for them, then when we meet them, we should ask them how far
they have progressed, since we last met, in the matter of stopping the repetition of the
cycle of birth and death. Since that profound meeting H H Mahavishnu Goswami has
dedicated his life to the rigorous study of Srimad Bhagavatam.

We offer our deepest respect unto His Holiness Mahavishnu Goswami’s lotus feet for
kindly guiding us on the path back to the Supreme One. Now more than ever, his
divine instructions are the only shelter for his disciples and all sincere souls seeking
to reunite with the Supreme Lord Krishna.

Our sincere gratitude to H G Kalacakra Krishna Prabhu and H G Sudarshana Mataji


for managing the Granthraj internet forum, where all the texts in this book were
originally posted. Kalacakra Prabhu started this Granthraj forum in February 2002
by the blessings and inspiration of our spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami.
Since then by the causeless mercy and the encouragement of our Guru Maharaj,
devotees from all over the world are absorbed in deep study of Srila Prabhupada’s
books, sharing their practical realizations of the shastras and also our Guru Maharaj’s
transcendental vani in this forum everyday.

5
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

The content of this book are H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj’s realizations from
his more than 30 years of intimate association with Srimad Bhagavatam, the ripened
fruit of the Vedic tree of knowledge. All of the texts have been written down by
disciples and followers of Maharaj and the spirit of these texts are the devotees
trying to convey Maharaj’s instructions as they heard and understood them in a
particular class or series of classes. Therefore all the texts are personal offerings by
individual devotees, and we have tried to preserve the personal touch of the devotees
throughout the book.

Our heartfelt thanks to H G Devakinandan prabhu, H G Viraja Krishna Prabhu, H G


Sajjanapriya Krishna Prabhu, H G Vaijayanti mala Mataji, H G Tushta Krishna Prabhu,
H G Suniti Mataji, H G Atma Prasad Krishna Prabhu, H G Amoghadrk Krishna Prabhu,
H G Tejasvi Krishna Prabhu, H G Nayanapriya Krishna Prabhu, H G Svayam Prakash
Krishna Prabhu, H G Krishnamayi Mataji, H G Abhirakanya Mataji, H G Sri
Ramachandra Prabhu, H G Narahari Krishna Prabhu, H G Anandamurti Krishna
Prabhu, H G Savita Mataji, H G Anantavijaya Krishna Prabhu, H G Amoghalila Prabhu,
H G Vidyanidhi Prabhu, H G Kalacakra Krishna Prabhu, H G Sudarshana Mataji and
many other sincere devotees for their contributions in putting His Holiness
Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj’s precious realizations in writing.

This book was compiled by H G Tejasvi Krishna das on the blessed request of H G
Devakinandan Prabhu, who supervised this transcendental project from beginning
to end. The content of the book was designed and reviewed by H G Kalacakra Krishna
das, H G Sudarshana devi dasi. We humbly request your blessings so that we may get
to taste the nectar of service unto the Supreme Lord and His pure devotee. The
following inspirational quote is from H G Devakinandan Prabhu on how we should
approach the Srimad Bhagavatam in the spirit of His Holiness Mahavishnu Goswami:

“Thank you so much for this wonderful contribution. Just one thing I wanted to
share with you that Maharaj instructed me before I embarked on the study of Srimad
Bhagavatam. Maharaj told me, the secret to relishing Bhagavatam and studying it
daily is to pray to the Lord to always put Bhagavatam into practice by development of
our character as devotees. If there is no significant change to our habits, and our
character, then reading Bhagavatam is simply an exercise for name and fame. He
said if you can maintain this humble and submissive attitude when approaching
Bhagavatam, then Bhagavatam, the Supreme Lord, will always guide you on the correct
path, the royal highway back to Him, back to Godhead. And when you study and
humbly submit to Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental purports, Srila Prabhupada
himself will guide you and speak to you from the pages of this great purana.’’

Interested readers who would like to become member of the Granthraj forum and
receive our daily digest on spiritual subjects are requested to contact H G Kalacakra
Krishna Prabhu at his email address granthraj@yahoo.com.

6
Introduction
His Holiness Srila Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj, is a brilliantly divine personality
and such kind of personalities are rarely seen on the stage of human life. Anybody
who has come in touch with Maharaj experienced that he was not just a spiritual
master but a sweet loving father, who, by his loving dealings with everyone, made
them experience the love of Krishna. He is an embodiment of all the exalted qualities.
His deep serenity, the vast limitless wellspring of knowledge he possessed, the beautiful
sobriety he exhibited, his gentle, sweet and simple demeanor, the soft expressiveness
of his features and the natural flow of all his actions could capture everyone’s heart.

Maharaj could relate even the most ordinary event to the scriptures and for even a
seemingly ordinary subject matter, Maharaj could offer a spiritual perspective. He
was a genuine guide in our struggle to carry on the material life as well as for
understanding the transcendence. His presentation of the scriptures and especially
Srimad Bhagavatam which is his life and soul, was not a dry academic subject to be
theorized and armchair philosophized about. Maharaj spoke and lived the essence of
the scriptures and made everyone understand that the scriptures are not in the cloud
or in the sky but very much on the ground intimately related to our day to day life.
That way he is a practical Maha Bhagavata and a down to earth Paramahamsa. The
humility which Maharaj exhibited is a conclusive proof of his greatness.

Maharaj is simultaneously grave and jolly and often he laughed and joked and
brightened the whole atmosphere with his effulgent Vaikuntha smile but even his
lighter mood was fully Krishna conscious and not frivolous. Maharaj’s every
movement, every word and every action had a transcendental purpose in it. Throughout
his whole life and at the time of leaving the world, Maharaj showed us how not to be
bewildered by the inevitable miseries of the material existence and always remain
aloof simply by remembering the lotus feet of the Lord (saàsära-dharmair
avimuhyamänaù småtyä harer bhägavata-pradhänaù – SB 11.2.49).

Once when one of the senior devotees humbly asked His Holiness Mahavishnu
Goswami Maharaj, how he was able to become so famous a devotee all over the
world, Maharaj replied with his trademark uncommon humility that it was because
he lived every moment of his life based on the verse 1.6.26 from Srimad Bhagavatam.
This particular verse spoken by Srila Narada Muni reveals the nature of an unflinching
servitor of the Supreme Lord.

nämäny anantasya hata-trapaù paöhan


guhyäni bhadräëi kåtäni ca smaran
gäà paryaöaàs tuñöa-manä gata-spåhaù
kälaà pratékñan vimado vimatsaraù

“Thus I began chanting the holy name and fame of the Lord by repeated recitation,
ignoring all the formalities of the material world. Such chanting and remembering of
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are benedictory. So doing, I traveled all
over the earth, fully satisfied, humble and unenvious.”

Anyone who comes in touch with His Holiness cannot go away without the impression
that Krishna consciousness is all common sense, practical, logical and simple. The
one shloka which Maharaj had in his heart even till his winding up pastimes was
SB 1.5.40, the instruction of Srila Narada Muni to his disciple Srila Vyasadev on the
power of the pure subject matter of the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Lord
and how it is satisfying both to the general mass as well as great learned men.

tvam apy adabhra-çruta viçrutaà vibhoù


samäpyate yena vidäà bubhutsitam
präkhyähi duùkhair muhur arditätmanäà
saìkleça-nirväëam uçanti nänyathä

“Please, therefore, describe the Almighty Lord's activities which you have learned by
your vast knowledge of the Vedas, for that will satisfy the hankerings of great learned
men and at the same time mitigate the miseries of the masses of common people who
are always suffering from material pangs. Indeed, there is no other way to get out of
such miseries.”

Maharaj urged everyone that the preaching of Srimad Bhagavatam with emphasis on
its practical aspect is the one and only way to mitigate the miseries of common
people who are suffering from the material pangs. His instructions ranged from
organizing one’s own shaving kit, washing one’s own clothes to living a life without a
tinge of expectation from anyone. Maharaj firmly emphasized that without organizing
our material lives in a perfect manner, there is no question of progressing spiritually.

Maharaj is unflinchingly attached to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and studied
His Divine Grace’s books very deeply. With his compassionate, powerful, intense,
pure and earnest preaching and encouragement, Maharaj could impress upon the
living entities to translate all the instructions of scripture into real life experiences by
changing the behavior for good. Maharaj is of the firm belief that Srila Prabhupada’s
literatures are so powerful that by the force of this literary influence, a revolution
can be brought in the lives of the conditioned souls and thus save them from the
miserable conditions. Maharaj’s appreciation and attachment to Srila Prabhupada’s
transcendental literature is so much that Maharaj says that if it had been possible,
Prabhupada would have physically taken out his heart and put it in these books.

The publication of his transcendental instructions which are highly practical is a


necessity so that it is preserved for posterity. Before the passing time robs us of the
clear memory and appreciation of Maharaj’s pure and transcendental instructions,
they should be made available to everyone. We pray to the Supreme Lord and our
beloved spiritual master that our humble attempt to share these practical realizations
proves useful to those who read this book.

8
Transcendence in Action
This was a series of offerings that were posted during the final pastimes of Gurudev
in this material world when he was teaching us the final important lessons. All along
he had personally shown us the art of living and when the time came, he mercifully
showed us the art of leaving this mortal world and how we must be prepared to face
the final exam of our life.

Transcendence in Action – Part 1


December 25, 2009
Maharaj’s health has not been so good last few weeks. Even though he is constantly
suffering he is still preaching in the mornings when he is fresh and talks to devotees
briefly. We are not able to realize how he is so transcendental to the pains of old age. I
was thinking that this illness has been occurring only recently but a few days back I saw
the below note from one of our god brothers H G Atma Prasad Krishna das who is
currently serving Maharaj in Nasik along with another nice devotee H G Sevananda
prabhu. Sevananda prabhu has been serving Maharaj very nicely for quite some time in
Rajkot and Nasik for most part of this year and he related a very mind-boggling incident
that happened sometime early this year when he was serving Maharaj in Nasik. Below
are the words of Atma Prasad prabhu referring to Sevananda prabhu’s experience with
Maharaj.

When Sevananda Prabhu was here in Nasik serving Maharaj earlier this year a very
sudden change of events happened. Without any warning Maharaj started to get
excruciating shots of pain that would run from his lower back down his right leg. Every
10 to 15 seconds this pain would shoot down his leg like an electric shock. The pain
was so horrible that Maharaj’s leg would kick violently in the air and he would scream
in agony. Again and again every 15 seconds for hours and hours Maharaj was getting
slammed by a pain we could not imagine.

So where is the transcendence? Sevananda Prabhu expressed very strongly that this
went on for 40 continuous hours non-stop; no sleeping, no eating, nothing. All the
while this was happening Sevananda was pleading with Maharaj to see a doctor, but
Maharaj refused. Instead he would simply tell Sevananda Prabhu, “Sevananda, miseries
that come will also go, we just have to tolerate.” This is transcendence. In Bhagavad-
Gita 2.14, Lord Krishna teaches that happiness and distress come and go like the
seasons and one who is equal in both is fit for liberation. Maharaj showed us this.

mäträ-sparçäs tu kaunteya çétoñëa-sukha-duùkha-däù


ägamäpäyino ‘nityäs täàs titikñasva bhärata

“O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their
disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter
and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one
must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.”
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Further in Bhagavad-Gita 6.22 Lord Krishna said that an enlightened soul is so fixed
in transcendence that he is not disturbed in the greatest difficulty. Maharaj showed
us this.
yaà labdhvä cäparaà läbhaà manyate nädhikaà tataù
yasmin sthito na duùkhena guruëäpi vicälyate

“Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks
there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even
in the midst of greatest difficulty.”

And in Bhagavad-Gita 9.13 Lord Krishna teaches that the great souls are always taking
shelter of the spiritual energy, not in material props. Maharaj showed us this too.

mahätmänas tu mäà pärtha daivéà prakåtim äçritäù


bhajanty ananya-manaso jëätvä bhütädim avyayam

”O son of Prtha, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection
of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know
Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.”

Maharaj is continually teaching us the main tenets of the Gita; especially that spiritual
life is not an artificial aloofness from the material world but a higher way of interacting
with it. This can only develop in our own hearts if we regularly approach scriptures like
Bhagavad-Gita with great humility and repeatedly attempt to absorb their messages. I
will end with a partial translation of a verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.49:

“A person who is not bewildered by the inevitable miseries of material existence, and
who remains aloof from them simply by remembering the lotus feet of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, is to be considered Bhagavat-pradhana, the foremost devotee
of the Lord.”

- Kalacakra Krishna das, Bangalore.

Transcendence in Action – Part 2


December 28, 2009
In the last few days Maharaj has not been doing well physically and was going through
critical hours on 24th, 26th and 27th of December. The oxygen saturation is still affecting
Maharaj but being transcendental, he does not bother about it much at all. In the recent
incident on 24th December, Maharaj’s breathlessness was very severe in the afternoon
and he conceded after repeated pleas from devotees, to visit the doctor. The doctor
advised that he should be admitted to hospital immediately. Again the devotees pleaded
and Maharaj conceded to go to hospital after some time. In the hospital Maharaj was
given injection and he got some relief. As soon as he recovered in the evening, Maharaj
gave class for 25 minutes on BG 5.26 to devotees and doctor in the hospital. The

10
Transcendence in Action

doctor got bewildered by this action and asked Maharaj, “Are you the same person in
the afternoon who was suffering from breathlessness?!!” Maharaj is revealing to us his
transcendental position even though we neither deserve it nor understand it.

He recouped nicely for two days but on 26th morning and again on 27th morning,
Maharaj had two more attacks of breathlessness and both the nights were horrible.
Evening of 26th December, Maharaj was shifted from Nasik to Bhaktivedanta hospital
in Mira Road and on 27th afternoon after the injections, he became alright. In the
evening H G Svayam Sphurati prabhuji took darshan of Maharaj and Maharaj spoke
to him for 20 minutes as normal as he used to be. Again the transcendence was in
action and this does not mean that Maharaj has become 100% alright. The oxygen
saturation is still continuing and Maharaj is undergoing really critical hours of struggle
but in spite of this insurmountable struggle he seems not to be bewildered by any of
the bodily unbearable ailments.

Maharaj being transcendental and pure devotee, his unlimited compassion for all of his
disciples and well-wishers is so much that he decided to meet all of his disciples who
are interested to have his darshan in the next few days. However it does not mean all the
disciples would go on the same day and crowd Maharaj and expect him to speak with
everyone. We have to understand that Maharaj has only one mouth and is undergoing
tremendous pain. Please talk to Vaishnava seva prabhu or Devakinandan prabhu to
arrange your darshan timing.

H G Girivaradhari prabhu and H G Svayam Sphurati prabhuji had darshan of Maharaj


and he gave a Srimad Bhagavatam class for 20 minutes. It is really inexplicable for us
who are having material angle of vision (bhautikänäà ca bhävänäà) to see this topsy
turvy situation of Maharaj’s health condition. Maharaj asked them to read the famous
verse in Srimad Bhagavatam 8.2.33 about the power of time which he likes very much.

yaù kaçcaneço balino ‘ntakoragät


pracaëòa-vegäd abhidhävato bhåçam
bhétaà prapannaà paripäti yad-bhayän
måtyuù pradhävaty araëaà tam émahi

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly not known to everyone, but He is


very powerful and influential. Therefore, although the serpent of eternal time, which
is fearful in force, endlessly chases everyone, ready to swallow him, if one who fears
this serpent seeks shelter of the Lord, the Lord gives him protection, for even death
runs away in fear of the Lord. I therefore surrender unto Him, the great and powerful
supreme authority who is the actual shelter of everyone.”

The purport is also very nice to meditate upon especially the particular paragraph
below:

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

”We are always in danger because at any moment death can take place. It is not that only
Gajendra, the King of the elephants, was afraid of death. Everyone should fear death
because everyone is caught by the crocodile of eternal time and may die at any moment.
The best course, therefore, is to seek shelter of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
and be saved from the struggle for existence in this material world, in which one repeatedly
takes birth and dies. To reach this understanding is the ultimate goal of life.”

So we have to understand that the transcendence is in action and we simply pray


intensively and seriously chant the holy names and pray for Maharaj’s presence in this
earthly planet for a long time. Neither the medicines, nor the doctors nor our own
chanting can guarantee Maharaj’s presence for a long time. It is completely independent
transcendental transaction between Gurudev and Krishna and we must not, rather we
cannot penetrate into it and try to decipher with our mental concoction. We have to
leave it to Krishna and pray sincerely to Him. But however our endeavour for sincere
chanting and sincere devotional service should begin without forgetting the
instructions of Maharaj to the best of our capability. If Krishna is pleased, He will
allow Maharaj to stay with us for a long time.

Maharaj’s health was quite stable from 5th December to 23rd December and in fact on
24th morning he gave darshan and spoke SB on that day in the morning. It makes us
feel amazing that how such things can happen. Maharaj, once he is alright and taking
class, he is in full mood as he is used to be with jokes, chuckles and loud laugh,
without any tinge of bodily sufferings being expressed. Actually the devotees who are
personally serving Maharaj knows his physical condition, as Maharaj in his inimitable
style, camaflouges himself without expressing a word of bodily discomfort to anyone
else.

Maharaj is advising us very clearly to understand the ultimate goal of life which is - to
take shelter of Krishna only and not our body, wives, children, bank balances, our material
intelligence, competence etc.

I therefore pray to Krishna to give me the real intelligence to take shelter of Gurudev,
Prabhupada and Lord Krishna to have a semblance of understanding of what the ultimate
goal of life is.

- Sajjanapriya Krishna das, Abu Dhabi.

Transcendence in Action – Part 3


December 30, 2009
I apologise for not sending any emails since the last update. I have been mostly in Nasik
and then in Bhaktivedanta Hospital trying to serve Gurudev.

Gurudev’s purity and transcendence is truly bewildering for me to understand. His


lila of showing us the way to tolerate apparent sickness and disease continues every

12
Transcendence in Action

day. As his disciples, we must truly be blessed to be present and be a part of Gurudev’s
lila.

Medically, as by now most devotees would have heard and read in Granthraj postings
etc, Gurudev’s health remains stable, but is critical. The lung infection is serious, as the
CT scans have shown, and Maharaj has had very, very bad attacks where he described
to us as if his entire chest was being squeezed and suffocated. One night, the attacks
began in the Bhaktivedanta Hospital at 10 pm and continued unabated and relentless
until 4 am in the morning. Unlike the episode of the leg pain that H.G Sevananda
Prabhuji had described, this was totally life-threatening. Like both episodes however,
Maharaj tolerated to no end and placed his life in the Lord’s lotus hands. He said later in
the morning - “Last night I was ready to leave (he said that 2 times to us in that
episode), but I thought that if Krishna wants I will continue - but I have to tolerate to
discover what the Lord wants, and not impose on Him.” This instruction is very deep
and very satisfying.

However, Maharaj, being a pure devotee of the Lord, is under the total protection of the
Lord - he invests zero faith in medicines, physical diagnosis and medical reports. Maharaj
quoted 7.9.17 to me and sternly told me:

duùkhauñadhaà tad api duùkham atad-dhiyähaà


bhüman bhramämi vada me tava däsya-yogam

“Although there are many remedies by which to get out of miserable life, any such
remedies in the material world are more miserable than the miseries themselves.
Therefore I think that the only remedy is to engage in Your service. Kindly instruct
me in such service.”

Maharaj stressed that, at the fag end of our lives, the real test is not how much Bhagavatam
we have studied, or how much we have written or spoken or preached on Bhagavatam,
or how many slokas we have studied, but how much we practise all of the above,
when the body gives up on us and deteriorates. In our prime, away from pain, it is easy
to preach, but real purity is tested at the point when disease attacks us. He told me to be
very careful in my behaviour.

Medically speaking, Maharaj’s oxygen saturation is stable but low. His condition is
expected to continue in this manner indefinitely. Specialist doctors have assembled to
offer some suggestions on treatment and Krishna willing, I am flying in to meet them
and serve Gurudev, on his instructions, on New Year’s day by noon.

Gurudev is ready and happy to see devotees from all over the world. Please, however,
note that your darshan timings may have to work around Gurudev’s timings; generally
however, the best times are in the mornings. We will also try and put as many devotees

13
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

together, because then Gurudev says he will not have to exert his breath. Every
ounce of his breath counts now towards his life. This is very important.

So, please inform Vaishnava Seva Prabhuji or myself of your timings so that we can
work out Maharaj’s timing to the best of his comfort. In the event that you come all the
way and cannot see Maharaj for any reason, please tolerate. Maharaj said this to me 4
days ago: “It is not coming here to see me that pleases me most. That actually pleases
you more - I am not an exhibit and do not want to be propped up to be one; what
pleases me most is if you lovingly follow my instructions very strictly - then I will never
leave you son.” Maharaj told me how many of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples who had
much physical association with Srila Prabhupada left the movement when he departed
from this world. But many of his disciples who hardly had any physical interaction
with Srila Prabhupada have now gone on to lead ISKCON and perform wonderful
devotional service to their spiritual master. Maharaj told me that this is way of our
parampara - vani is eminently more important than vapu.

So please come and take darshan of our beloved spiritual master - your sincere prayers
are the best to please him, as he continues his preaching of Srimad Bhagavatam
unmotivated and therefore uninterrupted, even in the midst of a deadly disease that
tries everyday to take his breath away. But please stay as briefly as possible to avoid
over exerting Gurudev, even when he tells you otherwise.

In the nights, when the hospital becomes quiet and peaceful, and the room is dimly
lit, I watch from the end of that room my beloved spiritual master, as he tries to take
rest, huddled with his palms as his pillow; his countenance is serene, like an innocent
child, totally dependent on his Supreme Father, without a care in the world, knowing
that the Lord is there to protect him. As I take darshan of him in that way, I realise
that here before me is really a Goswami, a perfect master of his senses, and a true
pure devotee of the Lord, a great and venerated Vaishnava.

Prabhus and Matajis, being his children, we all have a little of Maharaj’s exalted
qualities in us; Srila Prabhupada said that always of his disciples. Maharaj tells me
always - “You are all my jewels, my children.” No one is dearer or further to Gurudev.
Please, we must turn this difficult curve together, as one, dedicated to preaching the
glories of our beloved spiritual master, and, Krishna willing, do him justice in our
spiritual lives, until our lives depart from us.

- Devakinandan das, Singapore.

Transcendence in Action – Part 4


January 3, 2010

The devotees in this forum might be aware of the health condition of our beloved
Guru Maharaj. Defying all our mental concoctions, Maharaj proved his transcendence

14
Transcendence in Action

yet another time, when he traveled to Panvel in Mumbai, which is about 2 hours
drive, on Sunday 3rd January, 2010.

This reminds us of Srila Prabhupada’s purport in Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya Lila


4.186:

“It is natural for those who have developed intense love for Krishna not to care for personal
inconvenience and impediments. Such devotees are simply determined to execute the order of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, the spiritual master. In all
circumstances, even amidst the greatest dangers, they undeviatingly carry on with the
greatest determination. The intense lover of Krishna is never deviated from his service,
despite all difficulties and impediments brought before him.”

In Panvel, there is a piece of land donated by a devotee and in that place Maharaj
envisages a small temple and a place for the devotees to come together and
congregationally glorify the Holy names of the Lord. Maharaj’s transcendental vision is
for a bhajan kutir there and, of course, regular preaching of Krishna consciousness
to the local population there. Maharaj has given a wonderful name for this yatra and
it is ‘çamyäpräsa’. Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.2 refers to this place as the ashrama of
Srila Vyasadeva.

süta uväca
brahma-nadyäà sarasvatyäm äçramaù paçcime taöe
çamyäpräsa iti prokta åñéëäà satra-vardhanaù

Sri Suta said: “On the western bank of the River Sarasvati, which is intimately related
with the Vedas, there is a cottage for meditation at çamyäpräsa which enlivens the
transcendental activities of the sages.”

Maharaj’s desire is that this place, like Vyasadeva’s ashram should provide the
atmosphere for spiritual advancement of knowledge. On 3rd January, Maharaj with
his transcendental touch has started the project. Ever since there has been difficulty
in Maharaj’s health, all the devotees have been hankering to have darshan of Maharaj
and Maharaj made a transcendental arrangement for everyone to have his darshan
and association in Panvel, just like Lord Krishna as Girivaradhari, gave intimate
darshan to all the Vrajaväsis. Maharaj had spoken for about an hour and emphasized
on the importance of studying and realizing the following three verses from Srimad
Bhagavatam - 8.2.33, 11.2.49 and 1.5.40. Maharaj so mercifully stated that if we are
unable to study the entire Srimad Bhagavatam, it is enough if we imbibe the instructions
in the above three verses at least.

The doctors attending Maharaj are completely wonderstruck seeing the transcendental
activities of Maharaj, especially with his advanced age and physical condition. Maharaj
has been greeting and welcoming all the devotees who go to visit him, with warmth,

15
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

cheer and unbounded love, completely tolerating his physical sufferings and showing
not even a bit of the pain he is undergoing. This reminds us of Srila Prabhupada’s
purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.9.10:

“Bhishmadeva was certainly unable at that time to welcome and receive the sages physically
because he was neither at his home nor in a normal healthy condition. But he was quite fit
by the activities of his sound mind and therefore he could utter sweet words with hearty
expressions, and all of them were well received. One can perform one’s duty by physical
work, by mind and by words. And he knew well how to utilize them in the proper place, and
therefore there was no difficulty for him to receive them, although physically unfit.”

Maharaj is in perfect Krishna consciousness in spite of the bodily discomforts and thus
he is the living example of the following verse from Srimad Bhagavatam 1.18.4:

nottamaçloka-värtänäà juçatäà tat-kathämåtam


syät sambhramo ‘nta-käle ‘pi smaratäà tat-padämbujam

“This was so because those who have dedicated their lives to the transcendental
topics of the Personality of Godhead, of whom the Vedic hymns sing, and who are
constantly engaged in remembering the lotus feet of the Lord, do not run the risk of
having misconceptions even at the last moment of their lives.”

In one of the interviews in Alachua in 2003, Maharaj is explaining the way he developed
his love for Srimad Bhagavatam.

“Once I heard Srimad Bhagavatam from Srila Prabhupada, I started reading it continuously
and topic wise. I never kept Prabhupada’s books down. Once I took vanaprastha, I was
committed to mangala arati, chanting and studying Srimad Bhagavatam. Even though
generally people are attached to family so much, but I could detach so easily by the pages of
Srimad Bhagavatam. I took a break from my work for a month and every day I used to sit
from morning 6 am to 6 pm reading Srimad Bhagvatam in London Manor temple and one
devotee used to pay me obeisances every time I start to leave home in the evening. I asked him
why he is doing it. He told me that anybody who is in touch with Srimad Bhagavatam is to be
worshipped because Srimad Bhagavatam is non-different from Krishna. I could understand
that Srimad Bhagavatam is non-different from Krishna from that devotee.”

The latest update from the Bhaktivedanta Hospital doctors is that Maharaj is having
weakness and tiredness for the past couple of days but his health overall is much better
than how he was about 10 days back when he was admitted in the Bhaktivedanta Hospital.
Yesterday he had sleeplessness since midnight until early morning hours but later he
started resting. The doctors are sincere devotees and they are very loving and respectful
towards Guru Maharaj and treat him according to his transcendental position. They
were completely puzzled by Maharaj’s transcendental activities. On Saturday, in the
night he was suffering from breathlessness but the very next morning he took us all

16
Transcendence in Action

to the Panvel land and gave a transcendental pravacan. Of course this does not mean
that he is recuperated yet. He is just showing us in practice how devotional service
should be performed irrespective of material situations. There is nothing that can be
as worse a circumstance than old age and disease and he has practically taken the
responsibility upon himself to show us how we should be determined to serve Krishna
in all kinds of circumstances. It is time for us to get the message and increase our
sincerity in devotional service.

Let us continue to pray for the speedy recovery of our beloved Maharaj and continue
our sincere spiritual sadhana and become attached to Srimad Bhagavatam and that alone
can please him.

- Sajjanapriya Krishna das, Abu Dhabi.

Transcendence in Action – Part 5


January 6, 2010:
Several devotees have expressed their concerns about Maharaj’s health and more
importantly about how he should be resting more rather than extending himself in
travelling etc. This is definitely a symptom of their love for Maharaj and it is appreciated
by Maharaj very much. At the same time we should also understand that Maharaj is
completely independent, as much as Krishna is. Over the last 2 months of this difficult
phase, devotees, especially those who are closely serving Maharaj, are audience of
these very intimate direct dealings between Krishna and Maharaj. It definitely is a
transcendental communication between Krishna and Maharaj and we are very, very
fortunate to be a part of this sublime pastime.

On hearing about the critical health of Maharaj, I immediately left US and reached
Mumbai in the wee hours of Sunday (January 3, 2010) morning. I was wondering if
ever I will be able to take darshan of Maharaj and if I will be able to talk to him. Lots of
thoughts were running in my mind filled with anxiety and when I went inside the
hospital and met Vaishnava seva Prabhu (who along with Sundar Gopal prabhu, Atma
Prasad Prabhu and Sevananda Prabhu is performing exemplary personal service to
Maharaj) the first thing he said was, “Prabhu, please rush and tell all the devotees to get
ready to travel to Panvel”. I was confused and asked him, “Then what about taking
darshan of Maharaj?” He said to my utter bewilderment and disbelief, “Maharaj is also
coming!”

The previous night (January 2, 2010) Maharaj was suffering from breathlessness but
somehow by Krishna’s mercy had a good rest. In the morning suddenly Maharaj decided
to travel to Panvel and when the doctors were informed of this, they were bewildered.
They advised Maharaj not to travel and in the worst case, at least take the breathing
instruments, nebuliser etc with him. Maharaj refused to take any of these with him
saying that we should have complete faith in Krishna. Then we all loaded ourselves in
two trucks along with Maharaj in the car. It took 2 hours on the bumpy road from

17
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Mumbai to Panvel and Maharaj withstood all the pains amazingly. In fact, whenever
we would cross his car or his car would overtake us, he would raise his hands, say
‘Haribol’ and smile lovingly at us. We all kept saying, “This is definitely like a dream
for us, to travel with our Guru Maharaj in such a transcendental spirit.” When we
reached Panvel, Maharaj somehow made it to the center of the land and began to
speak. Initially his voice was very low and weak and we all were worried if Maharaj
would be able to continue. But then within a few minutes, his voice turned into that
of a rumbling thunder. His realized instructions were so deep, full of compassion for
all struggling living entities like us. His realizations were over coated with humour
and transcendental trademark laughter.

Then Maharaj made us all stand in a line (like in a school) and asked us to sing the Sri
Prahlad International School rhymes nicely written by H G Atma Prasad prabhu. The
first time we just stood without forming a proper line and sang the rhymes. Maharaj
said, “If you do not stand in line, you will all go to hell!” Then he asked us to sing the
rhymes along with the action. We repeated the rhymes again with the actions and he
was pleased. Maharaj then named the Panvel land as “çamyäpräsa” and said that this
place should be meant for pure devotional service only. Anyone who would want to
absorb themselves in the holy names and Bhagavatam should come here and spend
their time.

In spite of his physical weakness, he met with each one of us and spent sufficient time
enquiring about our well-being. Then after about 2-3 hours stay in the land, he returned
back to the hospital. We are all hale and healthy, had some prasadam in the morning,
we did not have any life threatening disease, but in spite of all these positives, while
returning back to Mumbai we were all so very tired. On the other hand, Maharaj did not
take any prasadam, he is suffering from a deadly disease and he is apparently hampered
by the old age too. In spite of all these hurdles, still he exhibited his activities in
transcendence.

On January 4, 2010 Maharaj was a bit tired but still he managed to give darshan and
speak to each of us. The next day again his health was down. I left Mumbai yesterday
evening to get back to work, but today morning when I called H G Vaishnava seva
prabhu, I was again bewildered when he said that Maharaj gave a 2 hour Bhagavatam
class to all the devotees including the doctors and staffs in Bhaktivedanta Hospital’s
Jagannath Vallabh Garden. Maharaj insisted everyone to study the verses SB 7.6.1 and
1.5.11 including the word-word equivalents, translation and purport and that they cannot
take prasadam until they memorize these two verses.

The only thing we can understand from these episodes is that Maharaj’s dealings are
completely inconceivable to us and we should just simply obey him and do what he
instructs us.

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Transcendence in Action

SB 7.6.1
çré-prahräda uväca
kaumära äcaret präjïo dharmän bhägavatän iha
durlabhaà mänuñaà janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam

çré-prahräda uväca - Prahlad Maharaj said; kaumärah - in the tender age of childhood;
äcaret - should practice; präjëah - one who is intelligent; dharmän - occupational duties;
bhägavatän - which are devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; iha-
in this life; durlabham - very rarely obtained; mänuñaà - human; janma - birth; tat - that;
api - even; adhruvam - impermanent, temporary; arthadam— full of meaning.

Prahlada Maharaj said: “One who is sufficiently intelligent should use the human
form of body from the very beginning of life - in other words, from the tender age of
childhood, to practice the activities of devotional service, giving up all other
engagements. The human body is most rarely achieved, and although temporary like
other bodies, it is meaningful because in human life one can perform devotional
service. Even a slight amount of sincere devotional service can give one complete
perfection.”
SB 1.5.11
tad-väg-visargo janatägha-viplavo
yasmin prati-çlokam abaddhavaty api
nämäny anantasya yaço ‘ëkitäni yat
çåëvanti gäyanti gåëanti sädhavaù

tad - that; väg - vocabulary; visargah - creation; janatä - the people in general; agha -
sins; viplavah - revolutionary; yasmin- in which; prati-çlokam - each and every stanza;
abaddhavati - irregularly composed; api - in spite of; nämäny - transcendental names,
etc.; anantasya -of the unlimited Lord; yashah - glories; ankitäni - depicted; yat - what;
shrnvanti - do hear; gäyanti - do sing; grnanti - do accept; sädhavaù - the purified men
who are honest.

“On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental
glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a
different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a
revolution in the impious lives of this world’s misdirected civilization. Such
transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and
accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.”

Each one of us who are really serious about following what Maharaj is teaching us
even at this critical juncture of our lives can make it a point to by-heart these two
verses and meditate on its meaning. This will please Maharaj more than anything
else.

19
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Maharaj will continue to give darshan in Bhaktivedanta Hospital as long as he is


there. Devotees who are planning to visit Maharaj are requested to plan your time
according to Maharaj’s convenience. The Bhaktivedanta Hospital doctors are
extremely kind. Understanding the position of Maharaj and the big number of devotees
visiting him, they have accomodated us very kindly. At the same time we need to be
considerate to the other patients in the hospital as well. So please call Vaishnava seva
prabhu once you reach the hospital reception and if Maharaj is ready to give darshan,
he will arrange your meeting with Maharaj accordingly.

When you are in the hospital, please spend your time in sincerely chanting the holy
names or studying Bhagavat-gita and Bhagavatam. We are meeting a venerated and
pure Vaishnava who has lived all his life as a Paramahamsa. Probably Krishna thought
that the only way He can make us come to the pure devotional stage is by showing us a
Paramahamsa’s transcendental activities and He has chosen to give us such a tough
lesson through one of His dearest devotees. To understand and appreciate the mood
of a paramahamsa we should come out of the crow-ish mentality and perform pure
devotional service and pray to the Supreme Lord from the core of our hearts.

- Kalacakra Krishna das, Bangalore.

Transcendence in Action – Part 6


January 8, 2010
In the spirit of co-operation with the Hospital, we are requesting, with Maharaj’s blessings,
that all devotees now stay at home and chant for Maharaj’s health - follow his instructions
very strictly and continue with our devotional service very seriously -that will please
Gurudev more!

We also think it is important for all disciples to know what we have posted officially to
GBC, at its request, on their Conference. This message was read to Maharaj and the
doctor in attendance, Shamlal Prabhuji, gave us the back-up in terms of medical
descriptions. I am forwarding below that message. Since the message has gone out, we
have received an overwhelming tide of messages and calls from all over the Vaishnava
world of ISKCON inquiring and praying for Gurudev and his health.

H H Gopal Krishna Maharaj and H H Radha Govind Maharaj have visited Gurudev. H H
Lokanath Swami called too. H H Bhakti Vikas Maharaj sent an inspiring email personally
to Maharaj, appreciating Gurudev’s tremendous study and devotion to Srimad
Bhagavatam and how well he has inculcated this in his disciples. I received emails from
H H Jayapataka Swami, H H Hridayanand Goswami, H H BVV Narasimha Swami, H H
Kavicandra Swami, H H Bhakticaitanya Swami, H H Bhakti Purushottama Swami, H
G Sesa Prabhu, H G Virabahu Prabhu, H G Jayashila Prabhu, call from H G Atmarama
Prabhu, email from H.G Pankajanghri Prabhu from Mayapur informing us that they are
doing special prayers to Lord Narasimhadev for Gurudev’s recuperation. Senior disciples
and counsellors from Radha Gopinath congregation such as H G Devamrta Prabhu, H G

20
Transcendence in Action

Gaurang Prabhu, H G Mahaprabhu Prabhu, H G Upendra Prabhu, H G Vrsabhanu


Prabhu, H G Damodar Prabhu and H G Yudhisthira Prabhu all came to take darshan of
Maharaj. The response was always the same - “How is it that Maharaj, despite his
critical condition, can appear so loving, so glowing, so full of compassion for others, at
the cost of ignoring his pains?”

Through the years, in my limited capacity, I have come to learn one value in devotional
service from Maharaj - never to underestimate the importance of control of one’s senses.

Gurudev is highly deceptive – his demeanour, at first glance, is that of an extremely


friendly, amicable and loving sadhu, and he is always so compassionate that he gives us,
his disciples, so much mercy and concession so that somehow or other we will grow in
bhakti. No matter how errant or deviant a disciple has been, and has not admitted to it,
Gurudev, who knows everything that the Lord wants him to know, has always extended
more mercy to that disciple. In short, his emphasis is always on mercy and grace.

But the truth is that, while Gurudev is very merciful to us, he is merciless to himself.
Gurudev instructed me many times, “Until we learn to control our senses and bring the
mind under the umbrella of devotional service, we cannot progress.”

In this terrible journey of his illness, Gurudev has demonstrated this quality acutely.
For the disciples serving him day in and day out, we bear witness to his tremendous
capacity to ignore the dictates of his mind and body and transcend them. Medically
speaking, his condition will result in extreme fatigue and weakness - 90% of patients
will have to be bedridden and have to perform all functions on the bed only.

Maharaj, at 90 years of age, still PUSHES himself (we can sense this literally when we
are next to him) only with the power of his control over his mind, to wake the body,
heave it into position, use the bathroom normally, take bath, shave, apply tilak and
even honour prasadam.

Every physical obstacle that presents itself before Gurudev, he surmounts with control
of the senses and his unsurpassable devotional service. He refuses to sleep on the more
comfortable hospital bed, which is adjustable and suits his body positions; instead from
day one, he has chosen to ignore his senses, which would find more comfort on the bed,
and instead sleeps on the couch-sofa, which is narrow! He does not want to take a
sponge bath, or use a bedpan or avoid shaving - he is rebelling against his mind, which
is telling him otherwise.

Have you been sick, down with a common flu, and felt wiped-out? Does not your
mind coax you with the following words: “It’s okay - one day you do not have to
bathe, just rest in bed, do not move, just take it easy. One day of not chanting or
reading is not going to kill you...”

21
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Maharaj told me once, when he had the stroke, that all these thoughts his mind was
telling him to do - but he simply ignored and rebelled! He said that once we lose control
of our senses, then, especially, in sickness and death, we cannot remember the Lord.
Gurudev referred to me to one of his favourite and most cherished verses from the
Bhagavad-Gita 2.64:

räga-dveña-vimuktais tu viñayän indriyaiç caran


ätma-vaçyair vidheyätmä prasädam adhigacchati

“But a person free from all attachment and aversion and able to control his senses
through regulative principles of freedom can obtain the complete mercy of the Lord.”

This is the only verse in whole Gita where the Supreme Lord directly reveals how to
attract his mercy. Gurudev instructs that freedom from aversion and attachment can
only come on the basis of how much serious endeavour (grnatas ca sva-cestitam) you
are making to control your senses for the pleasure and satisfaction of the Lord, and not
for the sake of control or being like sadhu baba. This genuine attempt to control senses
immediately attracts His mercy.

So I learnt that devotional service practised by Gurudev is very, very stringent on


himself, but that stringency attracts the mercy of the Lord, and He reciprocates in a
pleasing manner for both His pure devotee and Himself. Throughout his illness, I
have yet to see a day when Gurudev has not chanted lovingly the Lord’s names, albeit
with great physical difficulty of breathing. That is why despite all the material bodily
difficulties, his perfect and regulated control, based on the platform of his unswerving
devotional service to the Lord and His mission, has in fact FREED him from the
formalities of this material world. I have learnt from Gurudev that the biggest formality
of this material world is disease and death! And he said that to be free of both, you
must follow in the footsteps of Narada Muni in 1.6.26:

nämäny anantasya hata-trapaù paöhan


guhyäni bhadräëi kåtäni ca smaran
gäà paryaöaàs tuñöa-manä gata-spåhaù
kälaà pratékñan vimado vimatsaraù

“Thus I began chanting the holy name and fame of the Lord by repeated recitation,
ignoring all the formalities of the material world. Such chanting and remembering of
the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are benedictory. So doing, I traveled all
over the earth, fully satisfied, humble and unenvious.”

In concluding, the symptom of our devotional service, the control of our senses will
be expressed in our character and behaviour - if the end product is that we are fully
satisfied, genuinely humble and unenvious, then we are freed of the sufferings of old

22
Transcendence in Action

age, disease and death, as our beloved spiritual master is now demonstrating to us in
the journey of his life.

Message Sent to the GBC

Dear Virabahu Prabhuji (GBC),

I have discussed Gurudev’s health with the wonderful doctor devotees in Bhaktivedanta
Hospital and write to you and respected members of the GBC as follows:-

1. Maharaj has been having bronchial asthma for a long time, at least the last 25 years or
so. Since the past 2 1/2 months, however, his physical condition has been deteriorating.
He has been running mild fever on and off, with progressive worsening of breathlessness.
His age is also a factor - he just turned 90 on 2nd December, 2009.

2. Maharaj was admitted to the Bhaktivedanta Hospital 15 days back, where he reluctantly
received a short course of antibiotics. I use the word ‘reluctantly’ because Maharaj, in
the past, has always sought to avoid allopathic medicine. After the short course of
antibiotics, Maharaj returned to Nasik, where he normally stays, in a small kutir, reading
and studying Srimad Bhagavatam and chanting.

3. However, his condition in Nasik worsened, and he was once again admitted to the
Hospital with severe breathlessness due to an acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma.
The senior physicians and chest specialists at the Hospital have a strong suspicion of
tuberculosis as the cause of the infection that is worsening Maharaj’s condition.

4. Presently, Maharaj is on a very conservative line of treatment (no injections or


antibiotics) as per his desire and wishes. His condition remains critical with hour to day
variations in the general condition, primarily his breathlessness.

5. He has refused any aggressive line of treatment. He told me, “Devaki, I have firm
faith in the Lord, I am ready to move according to His will.”

6. The positive thing, Prabhuji, is that Maharaj continues to have a stable appetite and
is fully conscious and aware of all that is happening around him. He could be completely
breathless for hours, and then, when a devotee visits him, he suddenly whips out
Srimad Bhagavatam (one volume) and gives a powerful and detailed lecture on
devotional service! I am really perplexed - it is true that no one can understand the
workings of an exalted Vaishnava.

7. That is all I have right now Prabhuji - I informed Maharaj I am writing this email to
you - he informed me to send you and GBC his dandavats - I am very thankful, on

23
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

behalf of his disciples and well wishers, of GBC’s concern for him, and take comfort
in your powerful prayers.

8. I will continue to keep you updated if you so direct me to.

Your servant,
Devakinandan das

Transcendence in Action – Part 7


January 21, 2010
What can I say except that our beloved spiritual master is constantly revealing his
transcendental nature?

Gurudev left for Nasik last Saturday (January 9, 2010) - he said that he was prepared to
leave everything at the lotus feet of the Lord and continue to take shelter of the power
of devotional service and not medication. So he desired that he should be in Nasik.
Maharaj was raised in Nasik, the holy city where the wonderful Godavari river flows
and many of Lord Rama’s pastimes were enacted.

Once we reached Nasik, after a swift ambulance ride from the Bhaktivedanta Hospital,
and a overwhelming send-off from all devotees with roaring kirtan- Maharaj spent two
days there peacefully. However, the pain in his legs, which he has suffered from time to
time in the past few years, returned. Just when we were concentrating on his breathing
and fighting the infection, Maharaj’s fever stopped for a few days, his breathing became
much better and he was not having any major asthmatic attacks. Then all of a sudden,
in Nasik, his legs started hurting - they appeared to be sharp convulsive pains on both
legs, sometimes alternating sometimes at the same time. Eventually, Maharaj directed
us to do something to relieve the pain, and after consulting with doctors at the
Bhaktivedanta Hospital, we brought Maharaj back to Mumbai, Mira Road on Sunday
(January 17 2010) early morning.

Now Maharaj’s bodily condition remains a mystery, as before. Doctors have informed
us that they do not have sufficient tests yet on Maharaj, due to his old age, to actually
and accurately provide a diagnosis on him. On one hand, the leg pains seem to be
neurologically based. But we did an MRI on Wednesday and a CT scan and the entire
spine and spinal cord show no indication of being the origins of the pains. Maharaj’s
blood pressure is very good, his heart rate is that of a 60 year man (!) and his oxygen
saturation, with help of the oxygen, is good. His urine output was troubling for a few
days but it picked up very well the last few days, and then became slower a few hours
ago. The dreaded lung infection is not fully on - he had fever only last night and not
the previous few days. His breathing has been quite alright.

So what is wrong with Gurudev? Medically, because his body is old, there are day to
day variations in his condition, organs are naturally slowing down due to wear and

24
Transcendence in Action

tear. Amidst his discomfort and ill health, Maharaj remarked, “We should learn from
these organs that the Lord created in our body how to be consistent in our prescribed
duties given to us by the Lord- the heart never misses a beat everyday for 90 years,
the liver, the kidney, all perform their prescribed duties so expertly, without motivation
and therefore they are uninterrupted, except by disease and death - we must learn
how to be consistent in our bhakti like our bodily organs! Can you imagine what
would happen to us if the heart decided to apply for leave or take a holiday for a
minute?!” Only an exalted Vaishnava can see the hand of the Lord in such a situation!

The most striking thing is that, despite a cocktail of painkillers to help relieve the pain
in his legs, including Ayurvedic treatment and acupuncture, which sometimes leaves
Maharaj apparently dazed and drowsy and very tired, his consciousness and remembrance
of the Lord remains ASTOUNDING. Our daily sadhana with Maharaj involves performing
mangala arati and reading and chanting Srimad Bhagavatam - the slokas and English
translation - we have done 2 cantos and are in the 3rd. Maharaj would be deep in sleep
- when all of a sudden, when we came to a particular verse - he would suddenly open his
eyes wide, smile sweetly and remark - “Oh this is nice verse Devaki” - then he would
repeat the verse or sometimes complete it before we could! Then he would just drop his
eyes and sleep as if nothing happened! Even when asleep, we have noted that his tongue
is rhythmically moving and when he awakes in pain or otherwise, the first words he
utters is “Hare Krishna” or “Hare Rama” or “Bhagavan” or “Rama Rama”. I have yet to
hear “please help” “pain” or anything else. I would be screaming if I were in Maharaj’s
shoes!

Maharaj told us that, at the appropriate moment, he wanted to end his pastimes in
Nasik, if the Lord so desired. But now he is in Mumbai - and being transcendental - I
suspect that the Lord desires very much that His devotee continues to teach us how to
live through the greatest problems of this material body - old age and disease - and how
to conquer them with the weapon of devotional service! Maharaj also remarked that
all the loving intense prayers and chanting by devotees and disciples all over the
world has been very, very helpful in maintaining his health and encouraging him - I
realise that great devotees of the Lord find some way always to keep us all engaged
and Maharaj is doing just that now!

So keep the spirits up Prabhus and Matajis - Maharaj is displaying very wonderful
transcendental pastimes - but amidst all of this - his love for Srimad Bhagavatam and
chanting is shining through.

Mahraj is still, however, very drowsy and sleeping for long periods - we request
devotees to stay put wherever you are and please him and the Lord by imbibing his
eternal instructions into your heart and practise Bhagavatam in addition to studying
the same.

- Devakinandan das, Singapore.

25
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Transcendence in Action – Part 8


January 26 2010

At about 3.25 pm this afternoon 25th January, 2010, our beloved spiritual master, H H
Mahavishnu Gosvami Gurudev entered into his final pastimes in this mortal world and
left us all in great grief of separation at the Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Mira Road, Mumbai,
India. Maharaj was, at the time of his passing, 91 years of age.

In the last few days, and his last few moments in this world, it was plain for all to see
that Gurudev had withdrawn all his external senses from this world, and he invested all
his thinking, feeling and willing at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord Krishna. As the
end approached, he suddenly became energetic and powerful, his eyes wide open, and
his tongue chanting the Holy Names of the Lord. He cast loving glances at all of us, and
amidst sweet kirtan and chanting of his beloved Srimad Bhagavatam, Maharaj peacefully
became silent, as if he was asleep, and left his body.

For his disciples, his winding up pastime is the most difficult one to live it - we feel deep
inside that our spiritual father has left, and we feel a large vacancy in our hearts that is
irreplaceable. We want to thank all the wonderful devotees and doctors at the Hospital
who served Gurudev so lovingly all this time, and the worldwide devotee community,
particularly the GBC and our spiritual leaders, for comforting us at the time of Gurudev’s
passing.

Gurudev told me once, “Devaki, for Vaishnavas there is no such thing as goodbyes...
as long as you are following my instructions I will always be with you - only time
separates us from our service. Do not waste time!”

- Devakinandan das, Singapore

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

26
Glorification of Maha Bhagavata Srila Mahavishnu Goswami

In this series of offerings we would like to share the offerings and glorification of our
Guru Maharaj, H H Mahavishnu Goswami by some of the senior ISKCON Vaishnavas.
Many times we underestimate the glory of our spiritual master because he has been a
very loving father and very informal with us. The remembrances and glorification of
Guru Maharaj by so many stalwart and exalted Vaishnavas makes us feel more and
more grateful and increase our awe and reverence for him. It is impossible to replace his
love for us with anything else in this world. By remembering his glories continuously,
we hope that the pain of separation will alleviate and bring us more and more closer to
him.

Glorification of Maha Bhagavata - Part 1

Ever since our beloved spiritual master left our physical vision, days and hours are
difficult to pass by, but we are remembering him more and more. It is only by
remembering Gurudev’s glories again and again that we can purify our life and please
him. I would humbly like to share the transcribed speech of H H Radhanath Swami
Maharaj on 27th Jan 2010 when our Guru Maharaj, H H Mahavishnu Goswami entered
samadhi.

H H Radhanath Swami Maharaj needs no introduction as he is famous all over the


world. He is an exalted Vaishnava and a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada who has
conquered the hearts of so many living entities by his pure devotion and pravacans
filled with practical realizations. Maharaj’s great transcendental devotional qualities have
attracted and transformed the hearts of so many living entities ranging from a common
man to famous personalities and made them all devotees of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna.
Maharaj very kindly presided over the entire samadhi ceremony of our beloved
spiritual master and spoke so deeply about the great qualities of our Guru Maharaj.
He gave us lots of encouragement and valuable instructions on how to lead our
devotional life in the apparent absence of our Guru Maharaj.

H H Radhanath Swami Maharaj spoke:

väëchä-kalpatarubhyaç ca kåpä-sindhubhya eva ca


patitänäà pävanebhyo vaiñëavebhyo namo namaù

At this divinely auspicious ceremony of Srimad Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj’s


samadhi, I am just remembering one occasion, where H H Mahavishnu Goswami
Maharaj and myself gave a Bhagavat Gita Class together in Kurukshetra at Jyotisar
under the very banyan tree, where Krishna spoke Bhagavat Gita to Arjuna. Maharaj
spoke on the verse aham sarvasya prabhavo. When he spoke it was so good, so deep,

27
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

so full of wisdom and devotion. I was feeling that Lord Krishna has come down again
after 5000 years to speak this Bhagavat gita verse through him.

I remember, I was just sitting besides Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj. I remember


deeply feeling that Srila Prabhupada is purposely speaking from this great man’s
heart. It was so good. Srila Mahavishnu Maharaj, he has so rendered his life and soul
and everything to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Sri Radha Krishna. Because he did so, he
was constantly, totally absorbed in pure bhakti. For years he can sit for 6 -7 hours of
the day just to relish Bhagavatam, relish Bhagavad-Gita. And when he will speak, it
would be of the same relish and same higher taste as he was hearing Srila Prabhupada
and Krishna’s words. And therefore he had such a powerful impact on people’s hearts.
In his travels to various parts of the world, I think anywhere Mahavishnu Maharaj
will go, it will have such a deep impact on people’s heart and people’s mind. I have
seen this at many places, even people who are antagonistic against ISKCON, who are
developing other ideologies and would not want to come to the temple, but they
would come when Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj was there and he would completely
transform them and completely change them to be part of Prabhupada’s society.

What was that magic he had? He had deep knowledge and wisdom. When he spoke
Prabhupada’s books of holy scriptures, it was with such deep realization and he had
such deep compassion for everyone. His love was really oceanic. He loved everyone
always and was so unconditional in his love.

Once I was with H H Giriraj Maharaj in San Diego, and we heard that Mahavishnu
Maharaj is in San Diego. So we both went to see him in his house, and although his
health was at such difficult stage, he was so joyful, so absolutely full of smile. After our
exchange when Giriraj Maharaj and myself were returning, driving back to the house
where we were staying, we both looked at each other and we both said the same thing??
It was so much just like being with Srila Prabhupada!! He has surrendered his life so
easily to Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada is manifesting through him in such a special
way.

Those of you who are disciples of H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj and those of you
who are relatives of H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj, please never underestimate
your supreme good fortune, because potencies of his bhäva and his mercy was so connected
to our parampara that you receive everything and everything more and everything else.
He gave you everything.

And not only did he give you but he will give you eternally, if you just appreciate and
be deeply grateful to the sacrifice he made for you, for the love he gave to all of you.
It is the time of inconceivable sadness that he has left us. His body was very much a
medium by which he spoke to us, he smiled at us, he brought such a great joy and
medium by which we can serve him to show our love for him. But he did not love that
body any more, he left by his own free will, and he will love each of his disciple and

28
Glorification of Srila Mahavishnu Goswami

each of his relative more than ever before. Because that is definitely his will. In crying
out of his separation, most of you had the joy of his returning to Sri Sri Radha Gopinath
and Srila Prabhupada and most of his god brothers are also feeling the same thing.

His Divine Grace Srila Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj ki Jai!!

- Vidyanidhi Krishna das, Sharjah.

Glorification of Maha Bhagavata - Part 2


The following is a beautiful offering of H H Janananda Goswami Maharaj unto our
spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj on the occassion of his samadhi on
27th Jan 2010. H H Janananda Goswami Maharaj is a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada.
He had become a devotee in London and served there in the beginning years of his
Krishna consciousness (early 70’s) wherein he had spent a lot of time with our Guru
Maharaj. Janananda Maharaj is a very exalted devotee, traveling and preaching all over
the world. He is the main driving force behind the World Holy Name initiative and
various other wonderful projects in ISKCON. His kirtans, harinam, spontaneous skits,
realizations, scholarliness in the shastras, witty nature, humility and many other
transcendental qualities attracts even the most demoniac souls to the lotus feet of Srila
Prabhupada and Lord Krishna.

- Kalacakra Krishna das, Bangalore.

Dear Mahavishnu Maharaja,


Please accept my humble obeisances and ecstatic embraces. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
who brought us together and has now separated us at least for a while. But not really. I
cannot but remember many wonderful times together laughing and laughing. You were
just like my favourite uncle. I love your sense of humour. Right from the first time I saw
you, maybe back in 1974, I was naturally attracted to you. You used to roll up to
Bhaktivedanta Manor in that little old car – what was it? After your work you would
come. I remember you sitting in Prabhupada’s room quietly studying his books –
practically unseen by the “busy” devotees who had “things to do”. At that time you
hesitated to heed Prabhupada’s call to join him and preach.

But it wasn’t long after that the call came – I was fortunate to be in Soho St. Temple
when you made the move to give up your job and family life and join the temple – You
were already old by our calculations– around 60. What could you do? Study and chant
and pass your days away preparing for death. You could have done that but that was not
your purpose. One day the devotee meant to give the class couldn’t give it and someone
suggested you give. Wow – a bomb had dropped, as you unleashed oceans of
transcendental nectar. That was it. Everyone knew you were alive or a very live wire.
When the local authority changed you like many were put on the line. Follow me or
move along was the ultimatum. You wisely chose the second. Packing your bags with

29
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

nowhere to go you stood at the homeless office in London asking for shelter. “No
way” they said but in your unrelenting, yet sweet, determined mood you did not
budge and when the office closed you were still there – not going anywhere. They
relented and found a place for you to stay or should I say Krishna arranged it. That
was a blessing in disguise. For the coming years you buried yourself in the study of
the Bhagavatam.

After a few years a change again in the leadership saw you back on the battlefield –
“armed with yoga, stand and fight”. A living, talking Bhagavat. Never a moment
passed by without a verse from the spotless Purana. Sannyasa came naturally, as did
devotees inspired by your jolly, pure, uncompromising, witty, knowledgeable and
deep preaching. No one inspired me like you to study Bhagavatam and whenever I
was fortunate to meet you, Bhagavatam became the priority. Have you left that one
volume Bhagavatam behind or have you taken it with you to the spiritual world? It
was your constant companion. Is it going into samadhi with you or will it be enshrined
before us.

Fearless, yet humble, depending always on Krishna you traveled as much as your health
would allow. Many approached you for initiation and guidance. You gave shelter to all
devotees. Your simple, loving dealings always inspired me. Spending time with you on
several trips to Dwaraka was a highlight. To sit, reading Srimad Bhagavatam and
discussing in that simple little ashram you had there, and the farm and how you were
embarrassed when I went there on the back of that motorbike, but it was great. Taking
breakfast prasadam together – as that was your only meal. How I wish I could have
spent more time with you but such is the nature of fate in this world that we have our
own paths to tread. Sometimes our paths would cross but not nearly enough. I never
did get to your project in Rajkot but I hope I will one day.

The last time I had the pleasant surprise of a short union was last February in Nasik –
my one and only visit there. You came over despite ill health to see us – Immediately
you started quoting the Bhagavatam and teaching all those around you verses from the
Bhagavatam. You had not changed, just become even more sweet and attractive,
laughing, smiling, puffing for breathe. A walking encyclopedia of Bhagavatam. You so
much wanted that everywhere the holy name and Bhagavatam would be recited
constantly. You knew this was the only remedy for the souls’ anomalies.

In the Bhagavatam it states that for most people old age brings misery and fear, but for
a devotee it brings happiness and fearlessness. I see you as a living example of this.

I will sorely miss you as will the whole world and especially your disciples. My heart
goes out to them and I pray you will empower them more and more to carry on the
divine legacy of Bhagavata katha and preaching its message. Thank you for your most
loving association and I pray that I will be able to get much more of it in the future.

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Glorification of Srila Mahavishnu Goswami

“The world is now bereft of a most valuable gem”.

”He reasons ill who tell that Vaishnavas die whilst thou art living still in sound. A
Vaishnava dies to live and living tries to spread the holy names around.” (Srila
Bhaktivinod Thakura)

Your eternal friend and servant,


Janananda Goswami

Glorification of Maha Bhagavata - Part 3

The below letter was written by H H Jayapataka Swami Maharaj from Laguna Beach
when our Guru Maharaj was admitted in Bhaktivedanta Hospital. H H Jayapataka Maharaj
needs no introduction - He is one of the stalwart travelling Guru in the ISKCON
movement and a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Jayapataka Maharaj himself suffered
a stroke in the year 2008 and has been undergoing treatment. But it is exemplary to see
his Vaishnava quality that even in the middle of his illness he was praying for our Guru
Maharaj’s well-being. It is significant to note that our Guru Maharaj also was praying
intensely to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna for the well-being of H H Jayapataka Swami
Maharaj when he had the stroke. At that time our Guru Maharaj, canceled his Vyasa
Puja celebrations and asked all of us to stay put wherever we were to chant the holy
names and recite Srimad Bhagavatam and offer it to Lord Krishna as a prayer for the
well-being of H H Jayapataka Maharaj. He instructed us all to intensely pray to Lord
Krishna to keep H H Jayapataka Maharaj with us for many more years to come.

Such is the transcendental transactions between great Vaishnavas who have come down
to deliver struggling souls like us. Let us hope and pray that we devotees who are
practising and preaching the message of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, also cooperate
nicely and pray for each other’s well-being just like these great mahatmas have shown
us in practice.

- Kalacakra Krishna das, Bangalore.

Letter from H H Jayapataka Swami Maharaj when H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj


was admitted in Bhaktivedanta Hospital in December 2009:

Dear Maha Vishnu Goswami:


Please accept my best wishes. All glories to Sivarama Swami, All glories to Prabhupada.

I heard that you are staying at the Bhaktivedanta Hospital, I was there last year. I am
staying at Adya Das and Saci Mata’s house for the night after a program at the Laguna
Beach temple, Panca Tattva temple. Saci Mata performed the arotik for the Panca
Tattva temple deities.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Although, I was there for a short time, they took nice care of me, and my attendants.
We heard from your secretary that your health is improving. I heard Saci Mata is
going to India to see you, so I took the chance to write this letter.

In the Laguna Beach temple they prayed that “He lives at least 20 years longer.” Everything
is in Krishna’s hands. I am staying in Los Angeles to attend rehabilitation for my stroke,
I am trying to walk without attendant’s support, but I do not yet, have my balance. I
want to take this opportunity to beg for your forgiveness if I or my disciples have in any
way offended you. I want to meet you at Dwaraka, but I don’t know exactly when I will
return to India. So, in the mean time, I thought I write this letter. I am praying that if
Krishna so pleases, you have good health for many years to come. I hope that I get back
to India soon, I want to see you strong and healthy. Your disciples in Singapore seem to
be doing nice service. I hope this finds you in good health.

Yours in service,
Jayapataka Swami

Glorification of Maha Bhagavata - Part 4


As a continuation of remembering the glories of our Guru Maharaj H H Mahavishnu
Goswami, I am presenting below the letter that was written by one of exalted disciple of
Srila Prabhupada, H H Bhakti Vigna Vinashaka Narasimha Maharaj. Maharaj is a bold
and stalwart preacher, preaching all over the world, mainly in unwelcoming countries
like Malaysia, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, UAE and so on.
At the same time Maharaj is very, very simple and humble, keeps a very low profile,
is easily approachable and is very kind and loving to everyone. This letter below was
written by B.V.V Narasimha Maharaj to our senior god-brother H G Devakinandan
Prabhu after the departure of our spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj.

Letter from H H BVV Narasimha Maharaj expressing his condolences for the
disappearance of H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj:

Dear Devakinandana Prabhu,


Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On the occasion of the departure of your eternal spiritual master Om Vishnupada


Srila Mahavishnu Goswami I offer my most heart-felt condolences. I know that
theoretically it is a joyous event and that his departure was most glorious but we
are left without the presence of such a great devotee of the Lord. It is said that when
great devotees leave the world then chaos can break out and confusion reigns.
Certainly we will feel the loss of his powerful presence for a long time.

His wonderful example of living simply and frugally, his humility, his passion for
reading Bhagavatam, his love for Prabhupada and Prabhupada’s mission, his

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Glorification of Srila Mahavishnu Goswami

boldness in establishing ISKCON in Dwaraka despite the threats of the local


pandits, his beautiful sloka recitation and his efforts to train his disciples in reciting
nicely the slokas, his humour and his fearlessness of disease and death, his endless
qualities are not easily forgotten and we are very thankful to him for all that he
has done and left for Prabhupada’s mission.

During this difficult time I offer my condolences to all of his disciples and encourage
them to emulate the mood of their exalted paramahamsa guru and know that they
are not alone as we all miss him and lament for our loss.

With heartfelt wishes, from Mayapur,


B.V.V.Narasimha

H H B.V.V Narasimha Maharaj has beautifully delineated some of the transcendental


qualities of our Guru Maharaj which we disciples and well-wishers can relate to very
much in so many beautiful experiences we have had with our spiritual master. Out of
those one of the points “boldness in establishing ISKCON Dwaraka despite threat
from local pandits” requires special mention as many may not know the facts.

When our Guru Maharaj went to Dwaraka to build the temple (which happened to be
the first ever stone temple in ISKCON history), there were several threats from the
local pandits and gundas. One of the influential man infact threatened Maharaj, “agar
mandir banäyä tho yahän se zindä nahi jäoge” (essentially threatening Maharaj, “if
you build the temple, you will not go back alive.”) Maharaj was not the one to be
daunted by these threats as H H B.V.V Narasimha Maharaj has nicely highlighted, “his
fearlessness for disease and death”. Maharaj immediately responded to that man, that
“Even if I die, I don’t care because who will get a chance to leave their body in
Dwaraka. I will definitely build the temple.” True to his extremely strong determination,
Sri Sri Rukhmini Dwarakadish descended Themselves and a beautiful temple fully made
of stone got manifested in Dwaraka by the pure bhakti of our Guru Maharaj, in Dec
2003.

In the opening ceremony of the temple, Maharaj explained all the troubles that he had
to face right from the beginning, it was so inconceivable for us to even to hear of those
troubles that Maharaj had to face, that too in that old age of eighty plus.

Maharaj used to take care of the stone carvers so nicely, that he will talk to them lovingly,
take care of them, and also preach to them Krishna consciousness with full compassion.
The carvers moved by the love and affection that Maharaj showered on them used to
say so proudly, “Hamne bahuth mandir banäye hain. Lekhin aisä mandir nahi banäyä.
Yahän käm ke säth prem aur bhagavat-bhakti bhi miltä hain.” (We have made so
many temples, but this kind of temple, we have not made before. Because here
along with work and salary, we also get love, affection and bhagavat-bhakti).

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Such is the greatness of our Gurudev that whatever he did in this world was
embellished with 100% pure Krishna-bhakti. Let us follow in the footsteps of this
great paramahamsa Guru and live our life in a manner that will please him and all the
acaryas in our parampara.

- Kalacakra Krishna das, Bangalore.

Glorification of Maha Bhagavata - Part 5

As a continuation of remembering the glories of our Guru Maharaj H H Mahavishnu


Goswami, I am presenting below the letter that was written by one of the senior devotee,
a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, H G Jayashila Prabhu on the occasion of Maharaj’s
samadhi.

H G Jayashila Prabhu is a very sincere and humble devotee serving in the ISKCON
movement for a long time. Prabhu has served in the Auckland, NZ temple for several
years and he keeps traveling and preaching in different parts of the world. When Maharaj
used to preach several years back in Auckland, he would go to the mangala arati everyday
without fail. Maharaj would often refer to Jayashila prabhu as one who was always there
for the mangala arati in the temple. Maharaj always appreciated the good things in
everyone and would always encourage us to keep doing the good things so that we will
not get time to do or meditate on the bad things. This way we will eventually become
good. He had such a deep impact on each and every one of us who came in touch with
him, that in our heart of hearts we all feel that if at all we are anywhere in Krishna
consciousness, it is only because of the blessings, encouragement and causeless mercy
of our Guru Maharaj.

- Kalacakra Krishna das, Bangalore.

Offering to H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj from H G Jayashila Prabhu:

A humble offering at the lotus feet of His Divine Grace Mahavishnu Goswami on the
blessed day of his entrance into eternal Samadhi. January 27th 2010.

Today, more than any other day, my heart is filled with love for His Divine Grace
Mahavishnu Goswami. I am sitting here in Sri Vrndavana Dhama chanting and feeling
deep separation from His Holiness Mahavishnu Goswami, His Divine Grace Srila
Prabhupada, and the love of the Lord of my heart, Sri Krishna. Last night one of my
God-brothers and I were reading in Srila Prabhupada’s Krishna book, about Lord
Krishna sending Sri Uddhava from Mathura to console the residents of Vrindavana
Dhama who were burning in the intense fire of separation. Mother Yashoda, Nanda
Maharaj, the Gopas and Gopis, and all of the residents of Vrindavana were feeling
such intense separation from their darling son, friend, lover, and eternal master, that
they were all practically unable to maintain their lives.

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Glorification of Srila Mahavishnu Goswami

Today all of us are also feeling the agonizing pain of intense separation…from our
beloved Guru Maharaj. Mahavishnu Maharaj was a man of love… he extended his
hand of friendship, love and service to every living being that he met. With all my
heart I can honestly say that Mahavishnu Goswami reminded me of Srila Prabhupada
more than anyone else in my life. His emphatic instruction… to always be studying
and learning Srila Prabhupada’s books will echo in my heart eternally. His kindness
and consideration will continue to console me in times of difficulty. His humor… a
beacon of liberation… reaches out to me, bringing laughter at the ridiculous situations
of life in Maya’s kingdom. [I also took great pleasure in making Maharaj laugh. “You
may have already heard this one Maharaj. The number of rings in married life has
been increased to five. First is the ‘engagement ring’… then the ‘wedding ring’…next
the ‘borrowing’…then the ‘suffering’… and finally the ‘ring’ from the lawyer’s office
informing about the divorce proceedings.]

Like our beloved Srila Prabhupada, you had the ability to present the naked truth in
such a way that everyone would be able to laugh at their own foolishness… and at
the same time be inspired to transform their lives.

But the separation that we are all feeling is not mundane…this separation is the separation
of spiritual love…which has the power to transform our sadness of separation… into
the bliss of eternal association and loving connection. The unique quality of ‘loving
spiritual separation’ is that it increases our desire and longing for the association of The
Lord and His pure devotee, eternal associates.

Maharaj’s departure has helped me to realize that I do have a heart … inside the stone-
like one that I know so well… I am crying tears of love… and separation. By your final
act of love… disappearing from this world… you have taught me how to cry… in
separation. Oh how I long to be united with you again in the Lord’s eternal abode.
Please continue to shower your rain of mercy on me… and on all of your loving disciples,
followers and well wishers.

Your eternally grateful servant and friend,


Jaya Shila das.

Glorification and Remembrance of H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj

mukhaà karoti väcälaà panguà laìghayate girim


yat kåpä tam ahaà vande çré-guruà déna-täraëam

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, the deliverer of the fallen
souls. His mercy turns the dumb into eloquent speakers and enables the lame to
cross mountains.”

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Krishna Krpa Murti Shree Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj appeared in Vaijapur (near
Nashik, BharatVarsha) on the auspicious Dattatreya Purnima (Full-Moon during
Margasheersha month). We fondly remember this day as Maha Vishnu Purnima. This
day appears 4 days after Bhagavad-Gita Jayanti (Mokshada Ekadasi).

His Holiness Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj sincerely completed all the four phases of
Varnashrama Dharma as described in the Shastras:

(a) Brahmacharya: From His young age He was taught by His parents to offer
everything new to Lord Krishna.

(b) Grhastha: He lovingly fulfilled His familial duties in completeness and performed
religious programs for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada.

(c) Vanaprastha: He continuously and thoroughly studied Srimad Bhagavatam and


Bhagavad-Gita at Radha Londonishvara Temple in London.

(d) Sannyasa: He accepted this order of life during the most auspicious Narsimha
Jayanti in 1991 and meticulously travelled throughout the globe at least 12 times
providing loving guidance and giving Srimad Bhagavatam nectar to everyone for the
pleasure of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

During 2003 Guru Maharaj opened a traditional stone temple of Sri Sri Rukmini
Dwarikadhishji in Dwarka Dham and a temple for Sri Sri Radha Neela-Madhavji in
Rajkot which was constructed within 12 months. By the mercy of Gurudev, Sri Prahlad
International School for children was opened in Rajkot and now around 250 Children
have an opportunity to study at the auspicious school. Every year Gurudev ensured
that nice Rath yatra for Sri Sri Jagannath Baladev and Subhadra Devi happened in
Dwaraka on 26th January and in Rajkot on 28th January!

Guru Maharaj had the unique ability to provide loving guidance to everyone from a
little child, to youngster to an old person! He gave shelter to hundreds of disciples
around the globe. He always advised never to forget BBC – Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad
Bhagavatam and Chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord. He inspired H G Kalacakra
Prabhu to start Granthraj – a regular paper on the internet describing glories of the
Supreme Lord, the articles from which Gurudev relished.

He had a very strong will-power and full faith in the Supreme Lord. Even in the year
2000 when he had a stroke in London and his left arm and leg were paralysed, despite
doctor advising not to leave the hospital as there was an imminent danger to his health,
he went to take darshan of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu during Gaura Purnima. Even
during January 2010, when he was severely unwell at Bhaktivedanta Hospital in
Mumbai, he went to Panvel in order to perform Bhoomi Puja by performing Harinam
and gave a nectarean Bhagavatam class advising devotees to open çamyäpräsa

36
Glorification of Srila Mahavishnu Goswami

meditation centre which would enliven the transcendental activities of the devotees
of the Lord (as per Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.2).
süta uväca
brahma-nadyäà sarasvatyäm äçramaù paçcime taöe
çamyäpräsa iti prokta åñéëäà satra-vardhanaù

Sri Suta said: “On the western bank of the River Sarasvati, which is intimately related
with the Vedas, there is a cottage for meditation at çamyäpräsa which enlivens the
transcendental activities of the sages.”

Gurudev left his body on the most auspicious Shukla Paksha Dashami during Mägha
month (also the Disappearance day of Sri Ramunujacarya) on 25th January 2010 at the
age of 91 years. On 27th January 2010, Gurudev went into the Mother Earth for his
Samadhi pastime at the Holy place of Nashik Dham - that was the day of Varaha Dvadasi,
the day when the Lord Boar dug up Mother Earth herself - the day that His pure devotee,
Gurudev, glorified the Lord, by entering into the earth too!

His Holiness ever-merciful Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj ki Jai!

- Amogha lila das, London.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

37
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Appointment with Krishna


Appointment with Krishna – Part 1

We were really very fortunate to be with Srila Gurudeva whose unlimited compassion
overwhelmed us with the nectarean ocean of Krishna’s names, qualities and pastimes,
in spite of scorching summer (May 2008). Maharaj is completely transcendental to the
material atmosphere as he is fixed in transcendence. The often repeated crime by us
(not a mistake) is to consider our spiritual master also on the same level as us on the
basis of bodily conception of life. Maharaj’s flight landed at 12.30 midnight and we
reached home at 1.30 am. We were all in illusion that Maharaj would go to rest after
blessing us and then we can also sleep nicely in the mode of ignorance. The transcendental
nature of the spiritual master is that he always puts his disciples into inexplicable
situations on account of his enigmatic personality which is non-different from the Lord.
Maharaj was reciting the first two chapters of Bhagavad-Gita while traveling from airport
to his ashram (H G Purna Prajna Prabhuji’s house).

Immediately after reaching home, he told us to open the Gita and started reading chapter
3 up to chapter 5 and then started giving very strong instructions to us. Ironically none
of us could recite the verse nicely. After about an hour it was 3 am and he instructed us
to do Mangala Arati (4.30 am Indian time). We were thinking that because of late night
journey and also the fact that Maharaj has traveled from Nasik to Mumbai on the same
day, we should do our Mangala Arati at our house and assemble at 7.30 am for Srimad
Bhagavatam class. But Maharaj completely decimated all our mental concoction. This is
a gist of the strong dose of medicine that Maharaj gave for deeply diseased souls like me
(completely bound by material modes).

“All of you have spent almost 10 years of Krishna consciousness and no one can recite
even the first chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita. This shows our quality of devotional
service which is basically now a showy business. The show business can go on for only
three hours and not for years. All of us should have entire Bhagavad-Gita in our throats
or otherwise we are wasting our valuable time. Once we complete our stipulated rounds
we should start churning our brain to retain this Bhagavad-Gita which is personified
by sound, unseen by eyes and non-different from Krishna Himself. Please don’t miss the
direct contact with Lord Krishna by chanting, reciting slokas with translations which is
also as absolute like having darshan. Chanting Hare Krishna mantra or Gayatri Mantra
is a direct appointment with Krishna. This chanting should be done peacefully and
sincerely. Simply mumbling of the mantra is not good. Why are you trying to do only
chanting, because, it is the easiest. Chanting alone is not enough. The intelligence and
mind needs to be engaged in vibration and remembrance of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and
Srimad Bhagavatam or otherwise we will become more rotten. Already we are rotten on
account of material modes. This will aggravate our already rotten condition. This
engagement of vibrating the transcendental vibrations will make the mind and intelligence
fully occupied and thereby provides a good scope for mental equilibrium. Suppose if
38
Appointment with Krishna

you have an appointment with some doctor or whoever for urgent disease or business,
how much careful and sincere are you in the appointment? In the same way, the
transcendental vibrations are direct appointment with Krishna. Don’t miss this
appointment. If your miss, then you will glide down to lower species of life and it
becomes very difficult to come back to this illuminated form of existence. Please come
to sanity with Srila Prabhupada or otherwise we will become insane. (Already we are in
an atmosphere which is surcharged with insanity).”

Maharaj was enlightening us on the verse in Srimad Bhagavatam 7.4.25-26.

mä bhaiñöa vibudha-çreñöhäù sarveñäà bhadram astu vaù


mad-darçanaà hi bhütänäà sarva-çreyopapattaye

jïätam etasya daurätmyaà daiteyäpasadasya yat


tasya çäntià kariñyämi kälaà tävat pratékñata

The voice of the Lord vibrated as follows: “O best of learned persons do not fear! I
wish all good fortune to you. Become My devotees by hearing and chanting about Me
and offering Me prayers, for these are certainly meant to award benedictions to all
living entities. I know all about the activities of Hiranyakashipu and shall surely stop
them very soon. Please wait patiently until that time.”

Srila Prabhupada’s purport - “The vibration of the Lord’s voice appeared in the presence of
all the devotees, and although the person vibrating the sound was unseen to them, they were
meeting or seeing the Lord because they were offering prayers and because the vibration of
the Lord was present. Contrary to the laws of the material world, there is no difference
between seeing the Lord, offering prayers and hearing the transcendental vibration.”

Maharaj was emphasizing the word - “mad darshanam” in the above verse where in Lord
Krishna says - “seeing Me” (or offering of prayers to Me or hearing about Me, all of
which are absolute). “Chanting and hearing are the direct appointment with the Lord.
How can we miss this very important appointment? In spite of knowing these things for
so many years we do not want to take this appointment very seriously. Who is preventing
us from taking this appointment?

Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental purport is very clear in front of us. This verse is same
as 1.6.25. This is how we should churn our intelligence to take out from Srimad
Bhagavatam. Every word of Srimad Bhagavatam gives ocean of knowledge and every
word has to be meditated upon. When are we going to do it? Why are we procrastinating
it? Don’t be a dirgha sutri. Lord Krishna runs away from a dirgha sutri as it is sign of
mode of ignorance.”

- Sajjanapriya Krishna das, Abu Dhabi.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Appointment with Krishna – Part 2

The following are some of the nectarean instructions given by our beloved Guru Maharaj
in Abu Dhabi during his yatra here in May 2008.

Means of Conquest:
“All of us want to conquer everything. But we do not know the means of conquest.
Srimad Bhagavatam is the very means of conquest. In Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.4, it is
said,
näräyaëaà namaskåtya naraà caiva narottamam
devéà sarasvatéà vyäsaà tato jayam udérayet

“Before reciting the Srimad Bhagavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one
should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Narayana, unto
Nara-Narayana Rsi, the super most human being, unto mother Sarasvati, the goddess
of learning, and unto Srila Vyasadeva, the author.”

In particular, we want to conquer the six enemies within our hearts- lust, anger, greed,
illusion, pride and envy. In order to have the capacity to conquer these six enemies, we
have to come to Srimad Bhagavatam which is the means of conquest. Then, we can
immediately conquer these six enemies.

We are not Durjana, but we are Doorijana:


Having taken up the religious process and chanting the holy names of the Lord, we have
stopped being durjana - bad people, but we are still far away from the truth and we have
ignored the truth, hence we are doorijana. The truth is spoken in Srimad Bhagavatam
11.10.20,
ko ‘nv arthaù sukhayaty enaà kämo vä måtyur antike
äghätaà néyamänasya vadhyasyeva na tuñöi-daù

“Death is not at all pleasing, and since everyone is exactly like a condemned man
being led to the place of execution, what possible happiness can people derive from
material objects or the gratification they provide?”

When a person is ordained the punishment of execution, can one million Dhirams
(UAE currency) give him happiness? Can a marriage or a house give him pleasure? We
are all condemned to death and we do not know when. In Kali-yuga, age doesn’t matter.
Anybody can pass away at any moment. During the lifetime also, we have to face any
type of extremely dangerous situation. We have to be prepared for this. This truth we
have forgotten and hence instead of reducing our desires for sense gratification, we
have kept it ablaze like a forest fire.

Our great fault is that we are always thinking as to how to grab another’s property.
Dhrtarashtra wanted the kingdom and forcefully he wanted to capture the same. We are
40
Appointment with Krishna

all Dhrta dhiram- catching hold of dhirams just like Dhrtarashtra was catching hold
of räshtra or kingdom. Till the time the desires are not fulfilled, we are not peaceful.
We are crazily pursuing our desires and this tendency has to be stopped. We cannot
even go near Krishna, till the time our eyes are on another’s pocket. We do not know
when these faults will go. As it is the atma or the self is completely pure. Thus we are
not faulty, but we have captured the faults. We have captured käma, krodha, lobha,
moha, mada and mätsarya. Our natural constitutional position is to be the servant of
Lord Krishna. A servant has no desires. A servant does not want to sit on the master’s
sofa set or to wear his master’s clothes. Why are we not seeing this? We are getting
more money than required. Why are we running after another’s property? There is
no end to this dosha or fault. Krishna is atma rama - satisfied with Himself. That is
why He is shäntah - peaceful. As Srila Prabhupada always insisted, we have to teach
only one thing to our children and that is the following verse from Chanakya Niti
shastra.
mätåvat para-däreñu para-dravyeñu loñöravat
ätmavat sarva-bhüteñu yaù paçyati sa paëòitaù

“One who considers another’s wife as his mother, another’s possession as a lump of
dirt, and treats all other living beings as he would himself, is considered to be learned.”

There is an end to everything, but we do not consider about the end and grab another’s
property and keep it. We should only use what is needed by us and the rest we
should use for Krishna. We have to first stop the grabbing tendency somehow or the
other. Ravana lost everything including the golden Lanka and his family members
because of his grabbing tendency. To conquer these enemies within us, we have to
keep our life on the right track. This can be given only by Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and
Srimad Bhagavatam. For those who do not believe in Srimad Bhagavatam and Srimad
Bhagavad-Gita, the ease is completely lost and they become diseased. Hence we have
to study Srimad Bhagavatam and Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and we have to do this
more than our breathing. There is no choice. We have to do. Our wealth will kill our
children if we do not give them Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita. For this, we
have to study the scriptures and this is our first duty. If Bhakti is there, everything is
available.”

Let us all remember the following slogan repeated again and again by Maharaj during
his stay in Abu Dhabi.
1) Chanting of the holy names is the appointment with Krishna.
2) Reading Bhagavad-Gita is definite attraction towards Him, to see Krishna face to
face.
3) Discussing Srimad Bhagavatam is a personal meeting with Krishna.
4) Please do not miss this appointment and meeting with Krishna.

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Appointment with Krishna – Part 3

In Abu Dhabi, it was our great fortune that we could have the association and blessings
of our spiritual master, His Holiness Mahavishnu Gosvami Maharaj, in May 2008 who
opened our eyes by explaining how material association disturbs our spiritual existence.

Maharaj said: We always hanker for association, which is not desirable, and to overcome
this we need constant hammering of the scriptures. To find a quiet corner is very difficult.
Everywhere there is noise pollution. Still we can perform devotional service and come
out of the danger by following the verses of Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita.
This is light house. Anytime, unexpected thing may happen. But for those who are
attached to Krishna there is no padam padam vipadam. Though everything depends on
His sanction, we must submit. Without His sanction, we can’t do anything. When we
chant He selects us and gives us appointment to see Him. Krishna is specialist doctor
and we should not miss the specialist appointment. We must organize our life and then
only we can get consciousness and can fix our mind. Then only the Supersoul will be
merciful to us. Everything is watched by Him. We can only watch the door in fear of the
thief but Krishna is watching everywhere. Because He allows us, we automatically get
up early for Mangala Arati without any alarm. In Srimad Bhagavatam 7.4.25-26,

mä bhaiñöa vibudha-çreñöhäù sarveñäà bhadram astu vaù


mad-darçanaà hi bhütänäà sarva-çreyopapattaye
jïätam etasya daurätmyaà daiteyäpasadasya yat
tasya çäntià kariñyämi kälaà tävat pratékñata

“The voice of the Lord vibrated as follows: O best of learned persons, Do not fear! I
wish all good fortune to you. Become My devotees by hearing and chanting about Me
and offering Me prayers, for these are certainly meant to award benedictions to all
living entities. I know all about the activities of Hiranyakashipu and shall surely stop
them very soon. Please wait patiently until that time.”

Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport, “The ability to understand the Supreme Personality
of Godhead or to see Him or talk with Him depends on one’s advancement in devotional
service, which is called Bhakti. There is no difference between worshiping the Deity in the
temple, seeing Him and chanting His glories. Indeed, all of these are ways of seeing Him, for
everything done in devotional service is a means of direct contact with the Lord. There is no
difference between seeing the Lord, offering prayers and hearing the transcendental vibration.
Performing kirtana and hearing the vibration of the sound Hare Krishna is actually seeing
the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. One must realize this position, and then one
will be able to understand the absolute nature of the Lord’s activities.”

We pray at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, Srila Prabhupada and our spiritual master
to bestow their mercy upon us so that we will intensify our devotional service.

- Tushta Krishna das and Suniti devi dasi, Sharjah.


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Appointment with Krishna

Appointment with Krishna – Part 4

We are continuing the topic “Appointment with Krishna”, the nectarean instructions ,
flowing like a river from our beloved Gurudev’s lotus mouth incessantly and thereby
the living entities scorched by the severe heat of material existence get the ultimate
respite. As stated by Srila Prabhupada the nectarean flow of devotional service is so potent
that even the onlooker also becomes liberated from the influence of the modes of passion and
ignorance (Srimad Bhagavatam -1.5.28 purport).

1. Krishna Consciousness is a Great Fortune


To come together and think about Krishna is a great fortune, because this is the perfection
of human existence. It is very difficult to have this human birth. It is extremely or
nearly impossible to keep in touch with Srila Prabhupada’s literatures. Because we are
most of the time engrossed in outward activities, we hardly find time. To come to Krishna
who is pure, we have to have a clean mind.

2. Cleanliness
The name of Krishna is Uttama shloka. He is praised with transcendental songs. We are
all abhadra. Our minds are dirty. Unless we clean our mind, it is very difficult to follow
this supreme auspicious path of bhakti. First requirement of bhakti is that our body and
mind should be in a healthy condition. For the body to be healthy, fresh food and air
are required. But they have become rare commodities. Physical exercises (walking) are
completely absent. Chronic disease starts. We have plenty of undigested food in our
stomach. Unless we are healthy, we cannot touch Bhagavad-Gita. Our mind has to be
sincerely attracted to Krishna and His instructions somehow or other. Not following
the instructions of Krishna will make us diseased. In order to become at ease we have to
come to these programs. Otherwise we will be forced to take antibiotics. Always be in
touch with Srimad Bhagavatam. This is the way to increase our consciousness known as
Krishna Consciousness. This is the only way to be happy. It is not sectarian way. This is
the sanätan way and it is called Bhakti Yoga. If our mind is healthy, body will automatically
become healthy.

3. Connection with Krishna is a Priority


Connection with Krishna is a priority. Material jobs can go on. The flow of Lakshmi is
there. Lakshmi is there where Narayana is there. Without Krishna we cannot enjoy
Lakshmi. We will destroy ourselves if we follow Ravana mentality. Once we avoid
Ravana’s mentality then saintly behavior will manifest in us.

4. Saintly Behavior is a Must


Humanity thrives because of saintly behavior. Saintly behavior is the priority in our
life. Saintliness is not anyone’s monopoly. Everybody has to be a saint. Saint and
sanity go together. We can never be sane if we are not connected to Krishna’s names,
pastimes and qualities. We have heard so many years. Still we are not realizing because

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

of our dirty mind. This needs to be cleaned by chanting His names. Then we can
become a devotee.

5. Devotees are Peaceful


Once we are clean and become saintly by chanting His names, we can become devotees.
Devotees are workers and not shirkers. Doing your prescribed material duties expertly
is a must so that it ensures the continuous flow of Lakshmi. Unless Lakshmi flows
smoothly, we may not be able to assemble here and hear about Krishna peacefully.

6. Sincere Devotional Service


Once we are peaceful and if we really sincerely desire to hear about or discuss about His
activities and glorification, He will give time and Lakshmi. We are busy with so many
things within this world because of increased prices. We have to somehow or other get
attracted to Him. Sincere desire to get attracted to the Lord will solve all the problems.
He recognizes the sincerity. He knows what type of bhäva we are in. He is bhäva grähi
janärdhana. As soon as He is satisfied with the sincerity of the soul, He arranges the
minimum Lakshmi for maintenance and time. We have to try in this direction.
Procrastination is to be avoided completely.

7. Renunciation is a Must
Try to renounce something from the beginning so that we can renounce at the time of
death. This is the eternal truth. If you are not able to do any of above, try to execute at
least this one thing - Chant the names of Krishna.

8. Chant the Names of the Lord


“Whatever condition we are in, please chant on japa mala beads. If you can’t chant on
beads then at least chant on your fingers and if you can’t chant on your fingers, at least
start chanting. Krishna will count. How much more we can go? The chanting is
appointment with Krishna. Do not miss this appointment. The Lord will be pleased and
then He will give time and place for worship.”

Srimad Bhagavatam confirms Maharaj’s profound statement on chanting in Chitraketu’s


prayer 6.16.44:
na hi bhagavann aghaöitam idaà
tvad-darçanän nåëäm akhila-päpa-kñayaù
yan-näma sakåc chravaëät
pukkaço ‘pi vimucyate saàsärät

“My Lord, it is not impossible for one to be immediately freed from all material
contamination by seeing You. Not to speak of seeing You personally, merely by hearing
the holy name of Your Lordship only once, even candalas, men of the lowest class,
are freed from all material contamination. Under the circumstances, who will not be
freed from material contamination simply by seeing You?”

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Appointment with Krishna

I pray to the unlimitedly merciful Gurudeva, Srila Prabhupada and Lord Sri Krishna
to give me the mercy and unassailable strength so that my incorrigible mind can be
controlled by this topmost appointment with the Lord and thereby save myself from
degradation.

- Sajjanapriya Krishna das, Abu Dhabi.

Appointment with Krishna – Part 5

During his visit to Abu Dhabi in May 2008, our beloved Guru Maharaj was extremely
appreciative of the two rhymes titled “Maharaj Maharaj Please hear us” and “We must
always remember Krishna”, composed by our god-brother, H G Atma Prasad Prabhu
from Minneapolis. Prabhuji has taught these rhymes to the children of Prahlad
International School in Rajkot as well. Maharaj made all of us recite the rhymes many
times here. Maharaj insisted that it is our duty to pass on the eternal culture to our
children. It is not very easy in this age, but we can win, if we persist. Maharaj spoke the
below nectarean realization:

In the English alphabets, C, D, E, F and G come in sequence. We can remember the


following things essential for our life very easily:

C- Cleanliness
D – Disciplined life
E – Education
F – For
G – God

In the rhyme, ‘Maharaj, Maharaj, please hear us’, the following stanza talks about
cleanliness:
If our room is clean, then our mind is clean
If our mind is clean, we can do anything;
If our room is dirty, then so are we
And if we are dirty, we’re not happy;

Cleanliness:
Cleanliness is essential in any field. Unless we maintain clean accounts of all our
income and expenditure, the expenditure may be more than the income. Then we
have to suffer. This quality of cleanliness is very essential for the students. Cleanliness
includes proper organization of things. We should keep the things back from wherever
we took them. Dirt always creates trouble. Just like the clothes are torn by dirt, our
lives are also torn by dirt. If everybody is clean, there will be auspiciousness
everywhere. Hence cleanliness should be given priority in our lives. The only way to
come out of the modes is to be immaculately well organized in our material life.
Otherwise, our spiritual progress is also destroyed. We all know the famous saying

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

‘Chant and be Happy’. Maharaj has given us another slogan ‘Arrange and be Happy’.
Unless we arrange our material things properly, we cannot move forward an inch
spiritually.

Disciplined life:
Clean people are disciplined. We should respect our parents, we should not talk
back and we have to believe in God. Just to keep faith in Krishna is very, very difficult
in this age. All the inventions are threatening our existence, particularly our spiritual
existence. We should always remember that we are all condemned to death. By making
us remember this essential fact, Srila Prabhupada cuts our desires from the root. If
we just mow the grass, the grass will grow again and again. Hence we have to uproot
it. We should not put our mind in all the other things. Unless the life is disciplined,
nothing can go smooth. While we are on the road, traffic discipline is forced on us.
Otherwise there will be only chaos. We complicate our life, without realizing that we
are completely under the control of time. The second stanza of the rhyme says,

Wasting time is the greatest crime


Because wasted time means a wasted mind
So best use your time when you’re in your prime
And your whole life will be sublime;

Srimati Kunti devi prays in SB 1.8.28:

manye tväà kälam éçänam anädi-nidhanaà vibhum


samaà carantaà sarvatra bhütänäà yan mithaù kaliù

“My Lord, I consider Your Lordship to be eternal time, the Supreme controller, without
beginning and end, the all-pervasive one. In distributing Your mercy, You are equal
to everyone. The dissensions between living entities are due to social intercourse.”

Maharaj said that Krishna is time and this is the pillar of philosophy. Krishna is ‘samam
carantam’- Whether it is Hitler or Newton or Birla, Krishna in the form of time makes
no distinction. Yamaraja just carries out the orders of the Lord and he has no ears to
hear our pleas. In Srimad Bhagvatam 6.3.29, Yamaraja gives the list of people who are
punishable by him.
jihvä na vakti bhagavad-guëa-nämadheyaà
cetaç ca na smarati tac-caraëäravindam
kåñëäya no namati yac-chira ekadäpi
tän änayadhvam asato ‘kåta-viñëu-kåtyän

“My dear servants, please bring to me only those sinful persons who do not use their
tongues to chant the holy names and qualities of Krishna, whose hearts do not
remember the lotus feet of Krishna even once, and whose heads do not bow down
even once before Lord Krishna. Send me those who do not perform their duties

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Appointment with Krishna

toward Vishnu, which are the only duties in human life. Please bring me all such
fools and rascals.”

Our time is limited and we should not be wasting our time. We have to peacefully chant
our 16 mälas of the Maha-mantra and then our mind has to be filled with verses from
Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita. Only a clean and disciplined life can make us
understand the knowledge of God. Thus Education for God is possible by Cleanliness
and Disciplined life.

Maharaj then concluded, “We do not want anything but devotional service. Devotional
service is the monopoly of the soul, which is really in trouble because of the coming and
going of the material bodies. We have to catch Him and in chanting we can catch Krishna.
That is the appointment with Krishna and don’t miss that appointment.”

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

Appointment with Krishna – Part 6

We continue with the topic “Appointment with Krishna”, the wonderful nectarean
instructions flowing from the lotus mouth of our beloved Gurudeva without any
cessation. We are very fortunate to have Maharaj’s association again as he was returning
back from London to Nasik via Abu Dhabi. Maharaj was to change flights in Abu Dhabi
in two hours time gap but due to inordinate delay of the connecting flight from Abu
Dhabi to Mumbai, Maharaj, being compassionate decided to get down in Abu Dhabi
and meet the devotees and take the flight to Mumbai three days later. It is because of
our greatest fortune that we are able to get the association of Maharaj (taträpi durlabham
manye vaikunta priya darshana) or otherwise it is very difficult to associate with a pure
devotee.

Maharaj said, “I had no inclination or iota of an idea to get down in Abu Dhabi as the
transit time in Abu Dhabi is just two hours. You people would not be expecting the
unexpected visit of mine and I have come here to disturb your normal routine and I feel
sorry for this. Please excuse me for the inconvenience caused to you. I had no idea of
getting down at Abu dhabi as I have already fixed going back to Nasik as it was only two
hours transit time in Abu Dhabi. It is misfortune that I have come here to disturb your
normal activities. We have to remember one thing that we may think so many things in
our lives but nothing works. First it has to be sanctioned by the Lord then it works. We
can go on thinking and making so many plans, but it will not work unless it is sanctioned
by the Lord. Always remember this point:

First - Lord sanctions in advance our actions.


Second - Think about implementing the actions.
Third - Actual actions take place.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Do not take it for granted that whatever we think will be put into action accordingly.
Unless the Lord sanctions our actions, it is not possible for things to happen according
to our thinking. Time and again it is proved by the Lord that He is in control but we fail
to recognize this fact. This does not mean that the Lord will sanction our action
every time and we become lethargic. Our intentions must be good. Without good
intentions also He is merciful. How much more merciful He will be, if our intentions
are good? Our way of thinking should be revolutionized. At the moment we are
thinking about our own endeavor and material advancement. We have to have
auspicious ideas or good thinking process but ultimately we have to leave it to the
Lord for sanction and action. This meeting of us to discuss about Him is not an
accident. It is sanctioned and approved by Him. As of now we are liberated from TV,
newspapers and gossips. It is very important that we have to be liberated from these
things before we think about final liberation. This appointment with Krishna is already
sanctioned by Him and He has very mercifully chosen us to be in the sanga. To be in
the sanga and hear about Him is called mad darshanam hi bhutänäm. We are all picked
up and goaded to come to this sanga by Krishna. Others who are not present here,
they are not in the books of Krishna.”

This reminds us of a beautiful verse from Srimad Bhagavad-Gita 13.23 wherein the
Lord as Paramatma has two features of being permitter and overseer.

upadrañöänumantä ca bhartä bhoktä maheçvaraù


paramätmeti cäpy ukto dehe ‘smin puruñaù paraù

“Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental enjoyer, who is the Lord, the
supreme proprietor, who exists as the overseer and permitter, and who is known as
the Supersoul.”

While contemplating on Maharaj’s transcendental realization the following things


struck my puny mind that there are some important lessons to be learnt by us.

1. Maharaj instead of grudging of his plan not being accomplished sees the Lord’s
hand in the circumstances and never complained. This is a symptom of a pure devotee.

2. Everything is sanctioned and approved by the Lord and we are not the controllers
and planners. Our plan does not work. We have to accept the Lord’s plan and do not
grudge about it.

3. We have to remove the idea of grabbing mentality (exploiting others time, wealth
and paraphernalia etc) because we can see Maharaj was repeatedly feeling that he has
inconvenienced us by his appearance. He said so many times to excuse him for his
unexpected visit to Abu Dhabi. As devotees (so called) we should not take it for
granted and exploit others for our own convenience and remove this grabbing
mentality.

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Appointment with Krishna

4. We have to be self-sufficient and completely independent and should not be


unnecessarily too much dependent on others all the time.

5. We should always be grateful to the Lord for choosing us to be in the association of


a pure devotee and get the appointment with the Lord.

- Sajjanapriya Krishna das, Abu Dhabi.

Appointment with Krishna – Part 7


I am summarising herewith some of the nectarean instructions of our beloved spiritual
master when he was here in Abu Dhabi in continuation of the series on ‘Appointment
with Krishna’.

You can only remember Krishna, if Krishna remembers you:


“We have to always request Krishna for His mercy. If we keep on doing that, Krishna
may be merciful. In order for Him to be merciful, our behavior should be one hundred
percent Krishna conscious. It is not very difficult because that is our natural position.
The child naturally goes to the parents and in the same way we have to go to Krishna.
But the problem is that we are obstinate and we have impediments in the form of so
many impressions in the mind from outside. Our natural position is vanishing because
of that. That way we are in Kali-yuga. It is our choice to be in Kali-yuga. If we do not
want to be in Kali-yuga we have to be ‘satata yuktänäm’ – always engaged in His
service. According to our own position, we have to find out a way to be ‘satata
yuktänäm’. There is no choice. We have to do it and we have to only see how to do it.

Thorough Honesty:
The first step to achieve the above is to be thoroughly honest in all our dealings. We see
that everywhere there is cheating. If we are not honest, our forms also change for the
worse. Lying, cheating and grabbing tendency are the three sins to be completely avoided
by us. In this world, there is no safe way. Land is encroached, gold is stolen, and banks
cheat the people. Thus everywhere there is cheating. Hence we have to be behind Srimad
Bhagavatam and Srimad Bhagavad-Gita. The best use of intelligence is to be always with
Srila Prabhupada through his books. We are all on a tottering platform and hence we
are unsettled, but with Krishna we are settled.

Don’t harm anybody:


In dream also, we should not harm anybody. We should pleasingly speak with others.
The sign of detachment of a person is that he speaks smilingly with others. An attached
person has so many things in his mind that he is not able to smile and speak. Everything
should be done in the mode of goodness. We should not mistreat even our clothes. If
we mistreat the clothes, the clothes will mistreat us. We should not squeeze the clothes
too much thus destroying the thread. Our whole lifestyle should be in devotional

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

service. If we do not want to trouble the clothes, how much more we have to be
careful with the other living entities!

Transcendental approach to material problems:


Ours is a transcendental approach to all the material problems. Problems are bound
to come to everyone. But the effect is less because of our approach. If the consciousness
is pure, the bodily existence will also be smooth. The body will function properly, if
only we ignore it a little bit. But too much ignorance should not be there.

Minimize artificial necessities:


Artificial necessities should be kept to the bare minimum. Money is really a curse if it
stops us from a simple life. The more the money, the less simple life becomes. As the age
increases, austerities also should increase. We should drag the body to the best of our
ability. Sense gratification should be kept to the minimum. The more we control our
diet, old age becomes tolerable. We should come to the conclusion that enough is enough.
If we increase the artificial necessities throughout our life, it takes its toll in the old age.

Controlling anger:
We show our anger in a place where there is no opposition. Anger disturbs everything.
The whole system gets upset because of anger.

No loans:
Life must be completely peaceful and for this, we should not owe anything to anybody.
Maharaj insisted that we should sincerely practise these things in our life and thus
sincerely change for the better and this is reflected in our faces. Preaching is not the
goal of our existence. Our goal is to do sincere devotional service and go back home,
back to Godhead. But our unfulfilled desires hold us back. We should become aware of
the powerful influence of time factor and thus become serious. Srimad Bhagavatam
warns us in 3.30.1:
kapila uväca
tasyaitasya jano nünaà näyaà vedoru-vikramam
kälyamäno ‘pi balino väyor iva ghanävaliù

“The Personality of Godhead said: As a mass of clouds does not know the powerful
influence of wind, a person engaged in material consciousness does not know the
powerful strength of the time factor, by which he is being carried.”

Hence we cannot remain complacent, but we should continue the momentum of our
devotional service by keeping up our appointments with Krishna.”

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

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Appointment with Krishna

Appointment with Krishna – Part 8

We are all tested when we have to face the reverses. Otherwise we have the tendency to
come and hear the discourses also for enjoyment. But the discourses are not for sense
gratification but they are meant to force us to reduce our sense gratification. They help
us to become immune to any tragedy we are bound to see. Maharaj made it very,
very clear that we cannot defy the orders of the Supreme Lord. We are helplessly
carrying out His orders. This is described in Srimad Bhagavatam 5.1.11 as vahäma
sarve vivaçä yasya diñöam- All of us must carry out the order of the Supreme and we
cannot deviate from His order.

We cannot defy the orders of the Lord. In this regard Maharaj was profusely praising
the family of H G Shyam Charan das Prabhu who were patiently and prayerfully
going through a distress at that time. Maharaj said, “There were no tears because of
unflinching faith in the order of Krishna. The remote cause of all the happenings is
Him. If this really sinks into us, we are not disturbed. Till we are alive, we are forced
to see any unexpected tragedy.”

Maharaj continued, “The efficacy and potency of this process is again and again tested
and proved. This is not fictitious, not a fallacy and not a concoction. Our tradition is
that we don’t hear anything other than Krishna. The more we hear the mundane things;
we are subject to all kinds of hallucinations. But for those who are chanting Krishna’s
names, the subtle living entities do not come near them. Hence the young ones must be
forced to chant. The following wonderful verse from Srimad Bhagavatam 5.1.12 increases
our faith in the Lord’s order. Thus Srimad Bhagavatam really settles everything and
hence we have to read Srimad Bhagavatam page to page.

na tasya kaçcit tapasä vidyayä vä


na yoga-véryeëa manéñayä vä
naivärtha-dharmaiù parataù svato vä
kåtaà vihantuà tanu-bhåd vibhüyät

“One cannot avoid the order of the Supreme Personality Of Godhead, not by the
strength of severe austerities, an exalted Vedic education, or the power of mystic
yoga, physical prowess or intellectual activities. Nor can one use his power of religion,
his material opulence or any other means, either by himself or with the help of others,
to defy the orders of the Supreme Lord. That is not possible for any living being,
from Brahma down to the ant.”

We misuse our independence, concoct our own ideas and try to defy the orders. For
example pigeons never eat non-vegetarian food, and they don’t store the food. That is
why we do not see any hospitals for the pigeons. They die naturally without being
seen by anyone and thus they do not defy the orders of the Lord. We human beings

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

are competing, fighting and envious of each other. The scientists are always trying to
defy the Lord but everywhere they are baffled. If we defy, we are punished. If we are
favorable to His orders as mentioned in the scriptures, we can settle all our material
accounts and we can be peaceful. Our first and foremost requirement is to have a
tranquil mind. To control the mind, breathing exercises are required. This is described
in the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam in 3.28.9 as follows:

präëasya çodhayen märgaà püra-kumbhaka-recakaiù


pratikülena vä cittaà yathä sthiram acaïcalam

“The yogi should clear the passage of vital air by breathing in the following manner:
first he should inhale very deeply, then hold the breath in, and finally exhale. Or,
reversing the process, the yogi can first exhale, then hold the breath outside, and
finally inhale. This is done so that the mind may become steady and free from external
disturbances.”

The mind can be controlled just by fixing it attentively on the sound vibration of the
Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. All our singing of the verses are breathing exercises. We
should take care of the body so that we can go to Krishna. Extra water and irregular air
are the causes of our ailments. Otherwise there is no other problem. This water and air
can be regulated by walking and swimming. Walk as much as possible, thus have a
sound body and a cool mind.

We can take up this process only if Krishna gives His sanction for us. When Krishna is
extra merciful, He drags us and forces us to hear about Him. We are all waiting for His
mercy. To attract His mercy, we must all conscientiously try to read Srimad Bhagavatam
and Bhagavad-Gita. This is the real mercy of Krishna. Only people who are selected by
Krishna can do these things. Apart from this nothing exists. If something is not there in
Srimad Bhagavatam it is all mental concoction. Hence bury your heads in Bhagavatam.
Be selected by Krishna. It is in your hands. When we chant His names, we are selected by
Him. He selects and gives us the appointment. Our special appointment is to be with
Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita. Please don’t miss the special appointment with
the supreme specialist.”

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

Appointment with Krishna – Part 9

As H G Devakinandan Prabhuji said, what is coming out of Srila Gurudev’s lotus


mouth is not knowledge, but realization. This needs to be sunk into our polluted
heart and thereby some cleaning is possible for us in this life time. As I was astounded
by our loving Gurudev’s transcendental activities and in a bit of over-enthusiasm I
inquired him that how was it possible for him to come to Abu Dhabi at 1.30 a.m. in
the early morning and then start giving lectures for one and half hour and continue

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Appointment with Krishna

Mangala Ärati? I asked him, “You have not taken rest in the flight (whereas I just
doze immediately in the aircraft the moment it goes into the sky) and still you are
able derive so much energy at this age. I am completely becoming puzzled and
bewildered by this act of yours. Please enlighten me on this.”

Maharaj immediately replied in a grave voice, “Sajjan, my breaths are limited and
anytime I may pass away. I do not have faith in this breath and therefore every
breath has to be used in devotional service or otherwise when again I will get this
opportunity to use these breaths in His service I do not know. I have to remind myself
of this urgency and therefore I cannot postpone it. Every one of us should try to cultivate
this feeling especially when we are in the old age. ‘Wasting time is the greatest crime
and wasted time is a wasted mind’. This demon from USA (lovingly referring to H.G.
Atma Prasad Prabhuji who wrote the poem ‘Maharaj, Maharaj please hear us’) in just two
sentences has given the essence of Srimad Bhagavatam. Why you people cannot churn
your brain to understand Bhagavatam like this? You people can do more than this”.

How much important it is that every breath of ours is to be used in devotional service to
protect us from this precarious condition of life (mrthyuh antike – death personified
sitting next to us)? Maharaj always quotes this verse from Sri Kevalashtakam very
emphatically:
niùçväse nähi viçväsaù kadä ruddho bhaviñyati
kértanéya mato bälyäd harer nämaiva kevalam

“There is no certainty when the last breath will come and put an abrupt halt to all
one’s material plans; therefore it is wise to always practise chanting from very
childhood. The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.”

I pray to the unlimitedly merciful Gurudeva, Srila Prabhupada and Lord Sri Krishna to
give me their mercy and sane thoughts about the undependable breaths and become
dependent on ever-dependable holy names, Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita and
never miss this appointment with Krishna at any time.

- Sajjanapriya Krishna das, Abu Dhabi.

Appointment with Krishna – Part 10

Srila Prabhupada writes in CC Madhya Lila 20.117 that we have forgotten our relationship
with the Lord from time immemorial (“anädi bahir mukha”) because of the influence of
material nature for so many years and it is really very difficult to revive our eternal
relationship with Him. But this revival is easily possible just by keeping in touch with
this great Mahapuräna, Srimad Bhagavatam.

Srimad Bhagavatam 2.8.4 confirms the way to establish our relationship with Lord in
a very short amount of time.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

çåëvataù çraddhayä nityaà gåëataç ca sva-ceñöitam


kälena nätidérgheëa bhagavän viçate hådi

“Persons who hear Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly and are always taking the matter
very seriously will have the Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna, manifested in their
hearts within a short time.”

Maharaj said, ‘‘granatas ca sva cestitam - on their own endeavor, is very important. Many
times, we have to go through word to word equivalents for the verse very carefully. This
point has to be insisted. On our own endeavor we don’t hear, read or study Bhagavatam
alone. This point must be stressed. We have to make some endeavor to do that. Otherwise,
our way is that general public may attend Bhägavata saptäh. Half the time they are not
attentive. This qualification has got to be removed from the mind. We are really like
professional reciters. We go for 8 days. After 8 days the place becomes a funeral place.
Srila Prabhupada hates this way. That is the reason he has introduced Srimad Bhagavatam
every day - nityam bhägavata sevayä, more so because our lives are very short. 18000
verses are there. When are you going to study? Please try to study Srila Prabhupada’s
purports. Nowadays our Bhagavatam classes are just for 45 minutes. It’s because there is
no endeavor on our own to study seriously. 20 minutes for Jaya radha madhava and 10
minutes recitation and fifteen minutes of discussion. What can we gain by hearing or
discussing 15 minutes of Srimad Bhagavatam?’’

Srila Prabhupada confirms this point very emphatically in purport Bhagavad-Gita 15.15
as to why he presents the Vedic knowledge for understanding. It’s because a living
entity individually needs to understand Krishna. Maharaj’s statements are so true. We
don’t study Srimad Bhagavatam when we are alone. When some like-minded devotees
are there then we tend to sit with them. But even then our mind and body is elsewhere.
It is because we presume that Srimad Bhagavatam is not my cup of tea and I will restrict
only to Bhagavad-Gita. These verses are difficult to recite and therefore I will not be
able to remember the verses. But as Maharaj says, we remember every fixed deposit
in each and every bank and its expiry we do not forget. Unless ‘sva-ceñöitam’, on our
own endeavor we try to understand with little intelligence, we may not be able to
relish or study on our own. There is one point that we simply read and we do not
study. Contemplation is completely absent.

It does not require super intelligence. We can see so many foreign devotees recite
the verses very nicely but we do not want to do it. Every word of Srimad Bhagavatam
is non-different from the Lord and in fact it is stated that 5.18.26 “adåñöa-rüpo vicarasy
uru-svanaù”. He is wandering in these verses of Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita
and other Vedic literatures and we do not want to put even a little endeavor to capture
the Lord at all. Recently in a class on the Srimad Bhagavatam Sri Rangarajan Prabhuji
made a very important statement that, “We are reading three verses every week which
means for 18000 verses we require to live for 115 years to complete this Srimad

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Appointment with Krishna

Bhagavatam which is completely impossible. We have to read on our own as much as


possible or otherwise we will never study this Mahäpurana.”

We think that we will finish Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and then go to Srimad Bhagavatam
and then to Caitanya Caritamrita, which will never happen. Time is ticking (abhidävato
brsham - Endless chaser) and also there is no guarantee that we will live the next
second. So it has become very much imperative that we should try to utilize every
second of our existence in the scriptures. If we do this then we will not have any time to
find fault with other living entities. Out of envy we tend to minimize other living entities.
We will not waste our time as well as others time. Our tolerance level in listening
Bhagavatam also is very limited because we are time conscious, but when it comes to
sense gratification or going to mall there is no time restriction. This is the real cause
of misfortune. Srila Prabhupada’s books are very simple to understand with a lot of
examples. How much more the Lord and His pure devotee Srila Prabhupada can be
merciful? It is up to us to put this endeavor or not.

- Sajjanapriya Krishna das, Abu Dhabi.

Appointment with Krishna – Part 11

We are always wondering as to why we are not making any progress in our spiritual life
and we are expert at blaming so many things and people around us for all the impediments
we face in devotional service. Maharaj completely thrashed this idea and made us
understand that our devotional service is not advancing because we do not have Bhakti
as our goal. This must completely stop. Maharaj pointed out that there is no other
impediment other than us. I am giving herewith the excerpts from the instructions
given by our beloved Guru Maharaj when he was in Abu Dhabi.

“We have to get rid of all our material accounts. The first material account is lying. As
soon as we open our mouth, lying is there. To justify our lies we start cheating. With
lying and cheating, we cannot attract anything or anybody. So we start grabbing. Thus
lying, cheating and grabbing have become universal facts. (Maharaj said in a very
serious tone.) These three things should completely stop. We have to get rid of the
innumerable material accounts we have opened everywhere on account of these three.
Unless we seriously think about the impermanence of the material existence, we
cannot give up lying, cheating and grabbing. It is very difficult to close all these
innumerable accounts without direct contact with the Lord in the form of chanting
and reading Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Everyday so many material
inauspicious contaminations are affecting us and so every day we have to close these
accounts. Eventually the time will come when these accounts will not open at all.

Hoarding money will kill us. Krishna must own our riches. Renunciation is the order
of the day. It is the order and not request. Grabbing tendency should completely
stop. Then only we can become peaceful. Whatever is needed or essential is available

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

freely everywhere. For example oxygen is required for breathing and everywhere it
is available. We don’t have to grab. We are taking advantage of so many facilities and
we have to return the facility. Always repay to the best of your ability. If you accept
anything, use it for Krishna. According to our own nature, Krishna supplies everything.
He is very wide-hearted. The orders of Krishna are all meant for our well being. By
being grateful, we will get all opulence. Grabbing will reduce our health.

In order to obtain the Lord’s mercy, 100% Krishna conscious behavior is required. Less
than 100% means we will not have any result and we ignore this. Conscientiously we
have to be sincere and serious about these things. Every time we have to be alert and
check whether what we are doing is worth doing at all. Otherwise unworthy actions hit
back like a boomerang.

Devotional service is simple because the Lord, by His internal potency, makes the process
simple. But because it is simple, we lose our faith that such a simple thing can be sublime.
At the moment, our devotional service is polluted by so many unnecessary things. We
have to improve the quality of our devotional service. Unless we constantly think about
these things and really sincerely understand, there is no other way. Otherwise we will
be helplessly coming and going. We are always suffering from the reactions of our sins
and because we are suffering, we have lost the intelligence on how to get out of it. We
don’t even try to get out. Only if Krishna is merciful, will He give us His appointment and
He will place Srila Prabhupada’s books in our hands.”

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

Appointment with Krishna - Part 12

During his visit to Abu Dhabi in May 2008, our beloved Guru Maharaj gave a very
enlightening and practical explanation on the following verse from Srimad Bhagavatam
8.3.1:
çré-bädaräyaëir uväca
evaà vyavasito buddhyä samädhäya mano hådi
jajäpa paramaà jäpyaà präg-janmany anuçikñitam

“Thereafter, the King of the elephants, Gajendra, fixed his mind in his heart with
perfect intelligence and chanted a mantra which he had learned in his previous birth
as Indradyumna and which he remembered by the grace of Krishna.”

Maharaj started explaining just the words, “vyavasito buddhya –‘being situated in
perfect intelligence’. This is the first step before we start all our devotional practices.
All of us are situated in some circumstance, but the thing is we are not intelligently
situated. Being situated in perfect intelligence begins with the material aspect of our
life. For this, cleanliness is the first requirement. Cleanliness includes banishing the
idea of grabbing another’s property. As soon as we cheat somebody, our blood

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circulation goes wrong. What can an operation do? Cutting the body will not help
you. If the bad tendency is not gone, again we have to cut. It is not that the body can
be cured by outside treatment. Behaviour according to Bhagavad-Gita gives a healthy
body. Anti-Bhagavad-Gita behaviour affects our health. We discard the religious
principles and follow the hedonistic philosophy. We have to come to Srila Prabhupada
and save ourselves. It is easy to go out of this and be in the rut. But for those of us
who have intelligently fixed ourselves in the ‘hamsa’ situation, it is impossible to go
back and be in the rut.

In human species we have special intelligence and we have to organize our lives using
this intelligence. Unless we are materially well organized, we can never enter into the
spiritual realm. A haphazard material life, does not allow us to progress spiritually.
Arrangement of material life in a nice manner, gives us a pleasing attitude. Being parts
and parcels of Krishna, bliss is our birth right and monopoly. Spiritually we are far
away, unless the material end is properly organized. If we are disorganized, we are
diseased. As it is, this material lump (our body) will drag you to ignorance and disease
means more ignorance thus placing us in the darkest region of existence. To have a
blissful life, we should disconnect ourselves from this lump. Everybody has an innate
disposition but by intelligence it can be changed. Innate disposition depends upon the
modes and we can get out of the modes, as soon as Krishna is there. This requires that
we are immaculately well organized. We cannot discard material life. It is beyond our
capacity to avoid material situations. We cannot ignore material situations and be happy.
We have to arrange and be happy. The more organized we are, the more pleased we are.
By intelligence we learn to organize. Even then death is lurking to attack us anytime.
We should be ready to go away at anytime. Don’t procrastinate things. That which is to
be done tomorrow, should be done today. Depending fully on Krishna, we have to fully
exert ourselves. We have to always impel our intelligence and find out how to behave
properly. This alertness is the monopoly of Srimad Bhagavatam.

Perfectly organize your material lives and be happy. There is no need of morose attitude.
As it is, the world is miserable. Don’t add to the miseries. Very soon, this life is going to
be previous life. Steal your time and invest every second of your existence in the study
of Srila Prabhupada’s literature. Srimad Bhagavatam is the best gift from Srila Prabhupada.
He has opened up the floodgates of knowledge. Srimad Bhagavatam is a highly
commonsense literature and that is why it is beneficial to everyone. Tie Srimad
Bhagavatam to your neck and don’t neglect it at any point of time. It saves us from all
unnecessary allurements. Srimad Bhagavatam is more than life-long business and
hence we cannot be fed up with Srimad Bhagavatam.”

We thank our beloved Guru Maharaj for emphasizing the greatness of Bhagavatam and
make us realize the importance of this very special appointment with Krishna.

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.


hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Fifteen Places to See Krishna


People often demand ‘‘Show me God, and I will believe in Him’’. As Srila Prabhupada
often said, “God is present everywhere, but we do not have the eyes to see Him.” In
Bhagavad-Gita Krishna tells in five illuminating verses 7.8-12 at least 15 places where
we can see Krishna. In Rajkot, in the year 2006, our spiritual master His Holiness
Mahavishnu Goswami gave a discourse on these verses discussing how to see the Lord.
In doing so, he shared with us some of his wonderful realizations in devotional service.
Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita 7.8:

raso ‘ham apsu kaunteya prabhäsmi çaçi-süryayoù


praëavaù sarva-vedeñu çabdaù khe pauruñaà nåñu

“O son of Kunti, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the
syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.”

1. I am the taste of water


Srila Prabhupada says: “The taste of water is the active principle of water…Attraction for
water depends on the purity of the taste, and this pure taste is one of the energies of the
Lord.”

One of the important transformations of water inside our body is saliva. No solid food
can go in the food pipe; therefore when we chew the food, water in the body is converted
into saliva in the mouth by Krishna’s arrangement for turning the food into juice. Saliva
is also antiseptic and essential to the body. Lord Krishna has created this body as purnam
idam – a complete whole and has equipped it with an automatic medical system.
Everywhere in the intestine antiseptic liquid is present which helps in digestion of
different types of food items we eat.

Unfortunately water is depleted in vitality by outside pollution. In addition to outside


pollution modern appliances such as the refrigerator and the microwave oven also deplete
all foodstuffs including water. An experiment was recently carried out by watering two
plants, the first with normal tap water and the second with water heated first in the
microwave and then left to cool. The result showed that the plant watered with tap
water was showing a normal growth pattern, whereas the microwave watered plant’s
growth was stunted. Therefore we should decide to throw two things out of the house:
The refrigerator and the microwave oven. At the very least one should reduce the use of
these things to the minimum.

Modern medicines however are very harmful and they destroy the saliva and the natural
antiseptic liquids within our body. The whole world is misguided in its attempt for
survival. The science is to be only dependent on Krishna, and then only can one survive.
Previous to the industrialization of India one could go to the bank of a river, dig a
hole in the sand, and drink the pure water gushing out of the hole. Now however
hard we try, this cannot be done. We may be able to turn water into coca-cola, but
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Fifteen Places to See Krishna

can we create pure water? The absence of pure water is a reaction of the predominance
of anti-Vedic culture. By modern so-called advancement, Krishna is disappearing
from our sight. We may have faith in artificial water, but only Krishna knows how
they prepare the water.

What can we do in the present circumstances where we cannot even get pure water to
drink? The only thing we can do is to take the water that we get, pray intensely and
offer it to Krishna, and then it will be purified. Intense prayer will give us the same
result as we get from natural products. In the Bhagavad-Gita 10.8 the Lord says aham
sarvasya prabhavo, therefore everything must be offered to the Lord. By following this
process, our whole being gradually becomes spiritualized and love of God is re-established
in our heart. By knowing these important utilities of water, we can meditate gratefully
on the Lord for providing us with all sorts of comforts through this vital medium for
our subsistence.

2. I am the light of the sun and the moon


Srila Prabhupada has explained that the light of the sun and the moon is also originally
emanating from the brahmajyoti, which is the impersonal effulgence of the Lord.

Sunshine is the source of health. In countries where sunshine is absent, people are sick
both bodily and mentally. When we are mentally disturbed, if we simply see the sunrise
and sunset our mind will become very light. Seeing the sunrise and sunset also keeps
our eyes healthy. If one regularly looks at the moon one will not get cataract in old age.
Man-made pollution such as smog in big cities is again a reaction to our negligence of
Krishna, and so we cannot experience Krishna in the form of sun and moon.

Even scientifically we all know that it is the sunshine (along with water) that supplies
starch to the plants and trees by which they grow. Without sunshine, it is not possible
for the plants and trees to grow, what to speak of bearing fruits, flowers etc? And then
regarding Moonshine, Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita 15.13:

gäm äviçya ca bhütäni dhärayämy aham ojasä


puñëämi cauñadhéù sarväù somo bhütvä rasätmakaù

“I enter into each planet, and by My energy they stay in orbit. I become the moon and
thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables.”

All the fruits, vegetables, grains etc have the potency to give us physical and mental
strength only because they were nourished by Krishna in the form of moonshine.
Unfortunately, in this modern world, the fruits, vegetables etc are artificially grown
using injected hormones which destroys their natural nourishing strength. When we go
against the nature’s law, we are doomed. If we go along with Krishna’s plan, then we
will be healthy both mentally and physically. Because we do not see Krishna in sunshine,
moonshine etc, we think that we can grow everything artificially.

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3 & 4. I am the syllable om in the Vedic mantras. I am the sound in ether


Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport, “Pranava, or the omkara transcendental sound
in the beginning of every Vedic hymn, addresses the Supreme Lord. Because the
impersonalists are very much afraid of addressing the Supreme Lord Krishna by His
innumerable names, they prefer to vibrate the transcendental sound omkara. But they do
not realize that omkara is the sound representation of Krishna.”

Krishna relays His message across all the creation to every living being. In the Bhagavad-
Gita 15.15 Krishna says:
sarvasya cähaà hådi sanniviñöo
mattaù småtir jïänam apohanaà ca
vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedänta-kåd veda-vid eva cäham

“I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and


forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedanta,
and I am the knower of the Vedas.”

The secondary creator of this universe, Lord Brahma is able to tune in to Krishna’s
relay, therefore when there is cosmic disorder he goes to the shore of the causal ocean
and by meditation he receives direct instructions from the Supreme Lord within the
heart. Since Krishna is also situated in our heart we can in the same way tune ourselves
to the relay of Krishna. If we keep on hearing the voice from the heart it will never stop.
In order to achieve this, the first step is to shut one’s ears to material sound vibrations.
Material sound covers the living entity’s pure awareness. Like in the experiment with
water, sound pollution has been found to negatively impact the growth of plants. Any
sound which is destructive and atheistic will pollute the consciousness, which in its
natural state is completely pure. By constantly chanting the holy names of the Lord and
by hearing the message and descriptions of the Lord in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad
Bhagavatam, one is always nourished by the Lord in His form as transcendental sound.

5. I am ability in man
Why do the laborers who carry heavy cement bags on their shoulders and work all day
knee deep in cement have their particular duty to perform, while others recite from the
scriptures in a peaceful and nurturing atmosphere? While others are scared to even
touch the cement which is full of harmful limestone, manual laborers have to stay in
touch with it without protective clothing for a whole day, and at the end of the day they
get hardly 80 rupees. The difference in abilities we see among men is Krishna. From
Him the ability is given according to the desire of the living entity. How can the soul,
who measures a ten thousandth part of the tip of a hair lift cement bags weighing 25
kg up a flight of stairs? Even for turning the pages of the Bhagavatam, the ability is
supplied by the Lord. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita 7.9:

puëyo gandhaù påthivyäà ca tejaç cäsmi vibhävasau


jévanaà sarva-bhüteñu tapaç cäsmi tapasviñu
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Fifteen Places to See Krishna

“I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all
that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics.”

6. I am the original fragrance of the earth


In his purport to the above verse, Srila Prabhupada very nicely explains, “Punya means
that which is not decomposed; punya is original. Everything in the material world has a
certain flavor or fragrance, as the flavor and fragrance in a flower, or in the earth, in water,
in fire, in air, etc. The uncontaminated flavor, the original flavor, which permeates everything,
is Krishna.”

In the beginning of the rainy season the fragrance from the earth appears. Now, due to
pollution, such as the use of artificial fertilizers, we are not able to feel this pure fragrance.
If water is not polluted, it will have the aroma of the earth. Krishna is situated in this
pure and original fragrance, but due to our misfortune we have given Him up for
economic development. Previously black earth was used to brush the teeth, and during
the hot summer the earth would extract the heat from the body giving relief. Caustic
soda on the other hand causes burning. Instead of soap they would wash themselves
with black earth or chickpea flour. Water mixed with chickpea flour will produce nice
manure, while caustic soda in water is harmful to plants.

Formerly no artificial manure was there, and the land was tilled by bullocks who tilled
only one or two feet into the ground, so the land did not lose its fragrance. When the
first tractor was introduced in India, the farmers gathered to protest, “If the tractor is
introduced, what will happen to our animals?” Now the tractor is produced in India
and the tractor tears deep into the land, causing disturbance to the soil. Nobody needs
the bullocks any more so they are sent to the slaughter house; even calves are sent for
slaughter. The earth herself is a living being and by her goodwill the necessities of life
can be taken from the fields. But due to the increase of sinful practices in human society,
such as the slaughtering of innocent animals, the earth is losing her incentive to produce.
For this reason the pure aroma of the earth has now disappeared, and even further we
have lost our sight of Krishna.

7. I am the heat in fire


While explaining about fire Srila Prabhupada says, “vibhävasu means fire. Without fire
we cannot run factories, we cannot cook, etc., and that fire is Krishna. The heat in the fire is
Krishna.”

Heat is the best cure. Wood fire is the best but natural coal fire is nearly as good, and
Krishna can be felt in the heat from that fire. Therefore natural fire for warmth is very
much needed. Previously all the houses in Britain had coal stoves and chimneys, and
the people kept good health by taking the heat from the coal. Sunshine is the root of
coal, it provides rains and the vegetation grows. At certain intervals in time there is
a nuclear disaster on the face of the earth which buries the vegetation. That buried
vegetation is made into coal by pressure. Instead of natural fire most houses now

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

have central heating which is unnatural and with the absence of the health benefit of
natural fire, people are suffering due to decreased health. In the pre-industrial India,
houses were always built from natural and locally available materials such as earth.
In the summer the earth-houses would be cool, and thus no cooling system was
required. Cement houses however need a cooling system, and AC cooling systems in
particular are decreasing one’s health. Because we have left simplicity we have become
entangled in so many complicated technologies for subsistence that we have no time
to fulfill the real purpose of human life, which is self-realization. Therefore to save
oneself from becoming entangled by the snare of modern advancement, one should
only touch modern advancement to the minimum extent required.

If the dead body is burnt then all the impurities vanish. If buried it takes a long time for
the earth to assimilate the remains, and the impure substances remain for a long time.
Therefore the end of the body should always be cremation. Wood fire is the best to
cremate the body. As soon as possible the dead body should be cremated.”

8. I am the life of all that lives


Srila Prabhupada explains, “The duration of a man’s life is also due to Krishna. Therefore
by the grace of Krishna, man can prolong his life or diminish it.”

Awareness of the fact that the Supreme Lord Krishna is present in every living being
stops us killing or being harsh to other living entities. We think that a nuclear blast in
the Pacific will keep us safe in the USA. However by trying to preserve our life by
harming others means that we ourselves will be killed, this is the supreme law. All
taken together, contact with Krishna through natural things in Krishna consciousness
keep us alive, while the absence of such contact surely drains our vitality and renders us
miserable.”

9. I am the penances of all ascetics


“Austerity is not the monopoly of the hermits of the Himalayas. Even in animals we find
austerity. When a calf is sick it will not drink milk, and by fasting it is cured. The body
has its own cleaning and repair system. By stuffing our intestine with food the repair
work cannot go on properly. However if we go to any doctor he will most likely give us
some pills and tell us to go on eating in order to get cured. The modern pharmaceuticals
are so harmful to the natural system that they cannot be taken in an empty stomach.
Therefore in order to save our health we should stop seeing the doctor. In the Mukunda
Mala stotra verse 37 it is stated:

idaà çaréraà pariëäma-peçalaà


pataty avaçyaà çata-sandhi-jarjaram
kim auñadhaà påcchasi müòha durmate
nirämayaà kåñëa-rasäyanaà piba

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“This body’s beauty is fleeting, and at last the body must succumb to death after its
hundreds of joints have stiffened with old age. So why, bewildered fool, are you
asking for medication? Just take the Krishna elixir, the one cure that never fails.”

If one takes Krishna into one’s unhealthy situation one will definitely be cured. By
seeing Krishna everywhere, absorbing oneself in thought about Krishna and by chanting
His holy names, one transcends disease altogether. At the very least one should not take
food if sick and chant Hare Krishna, thus one comes to realize that Krishna is the only
one who can help us in any condition without fail.”

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita 7.10:

béjaà mäà sarva-bhütänäà viddhi pärtha sanätanam


buddhir buddhimatäm asmi tejas tejasvinäm aham

“O son of Prtha, know that I am the original seed of all existences, the intelligence of
the intelligent, and the prowess of all powerful men.”

10. I am the original seed of all existences


“At present farmers are growing artificial seeds produced in the laboratory for maximum
yields in the shortest amount of time. These seeds do not give nourishing foods. In the
market we find big-sized bananas which look perfect, but when we taste them there is
no taste at all. Nowadays practically all foods are artificial, and this reduces our
intelligence so that we have to rely on computers and calculators. Writing by hand
however is beneficial to both our intelligence and health. Previously one would go to a
copier and he would hand-write copies, if one requested 100 copies then he would
write them. In this way so many were able to make a living. In England in the sixties
and seventies there used to be a milk machine on every corner, where one could get
good milk. Now instead of milk, soya-milk is being introduced and advertised as being
rich in all vitamins, when it is in fact all artificial. In this way the original seed is being
destroyed and further advancement will only destroy everything. In the present situation
there is no other way but to surrender to Krishna. The young boys and girls are the bija,
or seed, of the future, but no one has time to properly train them, instead we leave them
to artificial foods and television, and thus they are being destroyed. We should recognize
that they are the seed of the future and train them properly according to the Vedic
culture.”

11. I am the intelligence of the intelligent


“Vedic culture is common sense culture. We however are making Krishna consciousness
difficult because of our complicated intelligence. The presence of intelligence in a person
means that he or she will always be calm, cool and composed. The absence of these
three is why we do not see Krishna in intelligence. In the Bhagavad-Gita verse 3.42 it
is stated:

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

indriyäëi paräëy ähur indriyebhyaù paraà manaù


manasas tu parä buddhir yo buddheù paratas tu saù

“The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses;
intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the
intelligence.”

Intelligence is higher than the mind and is the next door neighbour of the soul. The
sense objects are gross and can be seen by the eye, and the eyes are controlled by the
mind, which is not that fine. Finer than the mind is intelligence, finer than the intelligence
is the soul, even finer than the soul is the Supersoul and finest is the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. By purified intelligence one can perceive the soul, and in Bhagavad-Gita
18.51-53 we find directions on how to purify the intelligence.

buddhyä viçuddhayä yukto dhåtyätmänaà niyamya ca


çabdädén viñayäàs tyaktvä räga-dveñau vyudasya ca

vivikta-sevé laghv-äçé yata-väk-käya-mänasaù


dhyäna-yoga-paro nityaà vairägyaà samupäçritaù

ahaìkäraà balaà darpaà kämaà krodhaà parigraham


vimucya nirmamaù çänto brahma-bhüyäya kalpate

“Being purified by his intelligence and controlling the mind with determination, giving
up the objects of sense gratification, being freed from attachment and hatred, one
who lives in a secluded place, who eats little, who controls his body, mind and power
of speech, who is always in trance and who is detached, free from false ego, false
strength, false pride, lust, anger, and acceptance of material things, free from false
proprietorship, and peaceful—such a person is certainly elevated to the position of
self-realization.”

One should seclude oneself from the activities of the material world. However, how is
that possible for instance in a city like Delhi? The practical application for everyone to
be secluded from the vicious dealings of the material world is to follow a Krishna
conscious life style. A Krishna conscious lifestyle means to

1) Avoid meat, fish and eggs


2) Avoid illicit sex life
3) Avoid intoxication
4) Avoid gambling.

Following these principles will automatically give seclusion from material life. In
most cities one will find parks, and there one can sit under a tree and chant Hare
Krishna on one’s japa mala. If there is a separate room in the house one can also take

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Fifteen Places to See Krishna

some time there alone with Krishna in the form of His holy names. If there is no
separate room one may sit in a corner and chant there. In a big city 15 people may
share a single room, if that is the case one may try to find out some secluded corner.
Seclusion does not mean simply to go to a place where nobody comes. Only to go to
the Himalayas is a wrong idea. Seclusion is always connected to regulations, which
means controlling the senses. The most important regulation is to study the Bhagavad-
Gita with the help of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, and having spent
time in studies, one should think about the matters by oneself. The scriptures have to
be interpreted so the common man can follow. Every living entity wants some peace
and private time for themselves. For the body to function properly everybody must
have his or her own time. To make way for one’s own time, one should make it a rule
not to waste time and at least not to waste the time of others in fruitless talks.”

12. I am the prowess of all powerful men


Power is open transcendence, whereas ability is hidden transcendence. In order to realize
transcendence one must have direction and power. A half-hearted attempt will never do
either in the material or spiritual sphere. To have spiritual prowess one must be fully
convinced of one’s goal and then go ahead with full force. This conviction is only attained
by one’s individual rigorous endeavor to study the scripture. Then only can the mind be
fully convinced to dedicate all attention to the spiritual path. An elevated soul may
explain the spiritual matters to us, but unless we dig into it on our own, the mind will
never give up the material path.

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita 7.11:

balaà balavatäà cähaà käma-räga-vivarjitam


dharmäviruddho bhüteñu kämo ‘smi bharatarñabha

“I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is
not contrary to religious principles, O Lord of the Bharatas [Arjuna].”

13. I am the strength of the strong


Unless there is strength nothing can be built. In India roads are built by manpower.
The strength in the butcher is also required, but Krishna says “I am not that käma
(strength)”. Somehow or other strength has to be properly directed. For instance
one may use one’s strength to promote one’s selfish interest or to protect the weak.
If one resolves to take Krishna into one’s situation then the sinful situation will be
changed and one’s qualities and capacity will be properly directed. Narada muni
once met with a hunter and he told him to stop the hunting and take to spiritual life
then everything would be supplied. The hunter agreed, but warned unless everything
was truly supplied he would not continue with what Narada Muni said. Soon the
word spread in the village that the hunter had sincerely taken to spiritual life. Therefore
they came and gave their surplus of vegetables, wheat and milk, and thus the hunter
had more than required food for him and his family. Similarly Prabhupada started

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

ISKCON with no steady income. The devotees of ISKCON have always been generously
maintained. This is the power of Krishna, who says in the ninth chapter of Bhagavad-
Gita - bhuta-bhrn - “I am the maintainer of all living entities”. Therefore one who
thinks that by his endeavors his family is maintained is in illusion. Behind the material
scene is Krishna who is supplying the strength to the material body so that it may
appear to us that we are the maintainers.

14. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles


Aham savasya prabhavo, the enjoying propensity comes from Krishna. Contaminated
sex-life means that the material elements are there. In order to free ourselves from the
material elements we have to free ourselves from undue material elements. When we
are hungry, the hunger is Krishna, and to the required amount we are allowed to accept
the material things. However in any enjoyment one must bar excess material elements.
By accepting a hard bed instead of a soft one, one can more easily get up early. Instead
of keeping twelve kurtas, if one can manage nicely with three, why should one keep the
nine excess kurtas? Excess material things means worrying to keep those things under
our control and in a maintained condition, and this is a waste of our valuable time.
Anything which goes against the regulative principles requires that one acquire the
taste. For instance whiskey tastes horrible, but that horrible taste one has to acquire if
one wants to drink whiskey. Onions and garlic also have a horrible smell, which one
has to tolerate. In essence things which are not required for us, we have to work in
order to have contact with them. Therefore one should see the foolishness of the so-
called enjoyment of the material world and accept only the natural things required for
one’s maintenance.

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita 7.12:

ye caiva sättvikä bhävä räjasäs tämasäç ca ye


matta eveti tän viddhi na tv ahaà teñu te mayi

“Know that all states of being-be they of goodness, passion or ignorance-are manifested
by My energy. I am, in one sense, everything, but I am independent. I am not under
the modes of material nature, for they, on the contrary, are within Me.”

15. The three material modes goodness, passion and ignorance emanate from Me
Srila Prabhupada explains, “Under the state laws one may be punished, but the king, the
lawmaker, is not subject to that law. Similarly, all the modes of material nature - goodness,
passion and ignorance are emanations from the Supreme Lord, Krishna, but Krishna is not
subject to material nature. Therefore He is nirguna, which means that these gunas, or modes,
although issuing from Him, do not affect Him.”

The modes are the energy of the Lord, but being the Supreme controller, He is
completely aloof from them. Thus unlike ourselves, who are being swayed by the
modes at every moment, Krishna simply witnesses how His inferior material energy

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works on the living entity. At any moment He can release a living entity from the grip
of the modes, but since we would like to fulfill various material desires, he leaves it to
us to struggle with the modes. daivi hi eshä guna mayi mama mäyä duratyayä, Krishna
says in the Bhagavad-Gita 7.14 that the material modes are very difficult to overcome,
but if one accepts the shelter of the Lord as one’s eternal well-wisher, He supplies
one the required intelligence from within so that one may give up one’s attachment
to the modes. Thus Krishna is the Supreme Authority and instead of fighting with the
modes one should see them as the insurmountable energy of the Lord, and that they
are never meant for our enjoyment. In the material world everyone is required to
work in order to maintain themselves and from that work fruits will come. Instead of
spending for oneself one should spend for Krishna. Foodstuffs have to be bought
daily, but by buying for Krishna and sacrificing the daily meals to Him first, one’s
contact with the material nature becomes purified and one becomes Krishna
conscious. Everything comes from Krishna and we can thank and worship Him simply
by chanting the Holy Names:

Hare Kåñëa Hare Kåñëa Kåñëa Kåñëa Hare Hare


Hare Räma Hare Räma Räma Räma Hare Hare

Therefore in the morning you excuse yourself, ‘‘Now I have to go to work’’, and as soon
as work is finished you return to the worship of Krishna. During the working hours one
should meditate on performing one’s duty immaculately as a sacrifice in devotion to
Krishna, and this will be attractive to everyone. Thus one’s present activities become
spiritualized and one becomes happy in Krishna consciousness without a difficult re-
arrangement of one’s activities. Everyone should do what they do, but simply do it for
Krishna, and thus easily transcend the grip of the material modes.”

- Tejasvi Krishna das, Denmark.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Seeing Krishna in Everything


The following is an excerpt from the lecture given by our Guru Maharaj H H
Mahavishnu Goswami on 18.12.2006 on Srimad Bhagavatam 11.7.6 at Sri Sri Radha-
NeelaMadhav Dham, Rajkot.

tvaà tu sarvaà parityajya snehaà sva-jana-bandhuñu


mayy äveçya manaù saàyak sama-dåg vicarasva gäm

“Now you should completely give up all attachment to your personal friends and
relatives and fix your mind on Me. Thus being always conscious of Me, you should
observe all things with equal vision and wander throughout the earth.”

Maharaj explained, “Here the word is sama-drk, seeing everything with equal vision is
very important. Without equal vision or equipoise a devotee is incomplete. A devotee of
the Lord cannot be unequal in any aspect, not only in the temple and surroundings but
also outside in the society and with every person. Equality should be our behavior. At
least do not harm others if you cannot help them. Equipoise should be digested
completely, just as unless the food is digested only then can the blood be formed,
otherwise food is food. Similarly selfish nature vanishes as soon as there is equal vision.
Anybody does not go to everybody and ask for some help, but goes only to a particular
person who is helpful. Our work is going on and we should not worry about it, but
rather worry about others and help them.

As soon as ‘sama’ is there, the conversation is very wide, it is not centered around our
own personality. In this service attitude also we are prone to be misguided. That is why
Prabhupada had proved that service to mankind is not service to God. Service to mankind
can never be service to God; man is not God and can never be. Our soul is so tiny, how
can we be God? There are so many trusts and societies who for the name and fame help
and serve the mankind. If you really want to serve humanity at large they should be
given Krishna’s name. Preaching is the essence. Only by preaching you can give them
the consciousness to know God and love Him by which alone all the miseries and
difficulties vanishes. To how many people and how long you are going to serve and help
by these so called societies? The population of the world is so much. These trust and
societies cannot serve the world headquarter city at its full and what to talk of other
parts of the world. This mankind is a limited term because only God is Ananta, unlimited.
Krishna can serve everybody, ours is no capacity. Therefore there is no place for
misguidance because we are conscious. But we do not condemn this activity, even we
are distributing food, opening the schools and managing other activities, but they are
all secondary. Even if we run ten schools for this city alone, it is not enough. In the end
however, we have to approach Krishna. We are doing to the best of our ability, but our
service to God comes first and above everything. Our puja is going on, our kirtan is
going on, our book distribution and mangala aratis are continued. Rest are all concomitant
activities.
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Seeing Krishna in Everything

Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita 5.18 to Arjuna; “The humble sages, by virtue of true
knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a
dog and a dog-eater.”

We can learn to be good and equal to all from the nature itself. The sun shines both on the
roof of poor and the rich. The rain falls on both a handsome and an ugly person too. The
wind, the oxygen does not ask us any identity. And nor does the food that we eat. When
nature does not distinguish between anybody who are we to differentiate? For the nature
there is no wealth, health or caste distinction. Everything that is created by Krishna is equal
for all, but only our material distinctions consider people as Hindus, Christians, Muslims
and etc.

Again in Bhagavad-gita 9.29 Krishna says, “I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I
am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and
I am also a friend to him.”

Therefore by no means is anybody unequal in the eyes of Krishna. All are His children.
Prabhupada explains to us that “In the Lord’s presence everyone is equal. He is the supreme
enjoyer of all sacrifices. Thus He accepts the fruits of everyone’s labor, and by so doing He
crowns all His devotees endeavors with glowing success.” Prabhupada tolerated so much
to spread Krishna consciousness in the West. He was equal to all and he always found
Krishna in all. Seeing Paramatma in all is the secret of his success. If we have to be
successful, we should also follow in his footsteps.”

- Nayanapriya Krishna das, Rajkot.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Touching Krishna’s Kingdom


I am trying to share herewith a few of the points from the nectarean lectures given by
Maharaj in June 2009 when Maharaj was here in Abu Dhabi on his way back to India
from London. Maharaj was discussing the various qualities we have to develop so that
we can enter into the Kingdom of Krishna. I am trying to post herewith a few of the
points according to my limited understanding.

“We should all ultimately come to the conclusion ‘kåñëät param kim api tattvam aham na
jäne’- “I do not know any truth beyond Krishna”. In order to come to this conclusion,
so many things have to be sorted out. Then we can reach His abode or dhäma. In
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita the Lord very wonderfully states in 2.51:

karma-jaà buddhi-yuktä hi phalaà tyaktvä manéñiëaù


janma-bandha-vinirmuktäù padaà gacchanty anämayam

“By thus engaging in devotional service to the Lord, great sages or devotees free
themselves from the results of work in the material world. In this way they become
free from the cycle of birth and death and attain the state beyond all miseries [by
going back to Godhead].”

karma-jam- that which is born out of karma or fruitive activities


buddhi yuktä hi – by serious devotional attitude
phalaà tyaktvä - the fruits of the work have to be relinquished
manéñiëaù - those who are genuinely intelligent
janma bandha - from the vicious circle of birth and death in which we are entangled
vinirmuktäh - it is not only muktä but vinirmuktä which means it is a special liberation
by which we will never again get into this entanglement.

If we relinquish the fruits according to our circumstances, then the result is great. So
first the fruitive activities are there (karma jam) and in between buddhi yukta - the
serious devotional attitude is there. As soon as that attitude is cultivated, renunciation
is there because there is no ignorance. In the beginning we are so much attracted to our
wife that we are ready to sacrifice anything for her or she may be ready to sacrifice for
us. But by buddhi yukta, the attachment is transferred from material silly bodies to
transcendence. How this is done? Because we are manéñiëaù- we have thought over it
and have come to the conclusion.

We understand two things about the material world:

1. This is all temporary - So what should be our perception and approach?


2. This is full of miseries - So how to get rid of these miseries?

These two points are discussed below:


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Touching Krishna’s Kingdom

1. This is all temporary:


Srimad Bhagavatam teaches us in 11.7.7:

yad idaà manasä väcä cakñurbhyäà çravaëädibhiù


naçvaraà gåhyamäëaà ca viddhi mäyä-mano-mayam

“My dear Uddhava, the material universe that you perceive through your mind, speech,
eyes, ears and other senses is an illusory creation that one imagines to be real due to
the influence of mäyä. In fact, you should know that all of the objects of the material
senses are temporary.”

The eternal principle is very nicely described in simple terms in the above verse. This
one verse settles the matter. It is all ‘nashvaram’- temporary. It can never become
permanent however we may try. This is Krishna’s command. He has driven the nail that
this is all nashvaram and we also have the experience that everything is lost in a moment.
If we always remember the temporary nature we will behave alright. We do not have
any time with us. Chanakya Pandit says in his niti-shastra:

gate çokko na kartavyo bhaviñyaà na cintayet


vartamäneñu käleñu pravartante vicakñaëäh

“The past is already gone and there is no use worrying about it. The future is not in
our hands and hence we cannot think about it. The intelligent persons make use of
the present time that is available.”

We have to make best use of the present. Time and again we have seen that without the
mercy of the Lord, not even a blade of grass moves. By His will, everything is temporary.
I have assumed and accepted (grhyamänam ca), out of my foolishness that my bank
balance is permanent, my wife will be eternally young, so on and so forth. Instead of
becoming mature over a period of time, we again become ignorant like small kids running
behind sense gratification.

With devotional attitude, we should learn to take the reverses of material world as they
come. Only if we digest that this is temporary, we can come to the conclusion ‘ kåñëät
param kim api tattvam aham na jäne’.

If we understand this, we can touch Krishna’s dhäm. janma bandha vinirmuktä (getting
liberated from the vicious circle of birth and death) is not the end. The end is ‘padam
gacchanti anämayam’ (reaching His abode). In one verse we are taken from the gross
material life (karmajam) to the transcendence (anämayam padam). This is Bhagavad-
Gita and no other literature can give us this. Hence Bhagavad-Gita should be in our
throats. Don’t ever leave Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-Gita. By repetition and by
understanding the verse we will get them. Don’t get fed up that ‘I am not getting it’. We
have to be fed up with the material world, not with Bhagavad-Gita! How much

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bondage we have here? It is a great wonder that all our blood pressure is normal, our
blood is red. We have all eaten, slept, taken bath. If we have not taken bath, we
cannot tolerate each other. Water is His energy and if we do not touch His energy we
cannot live. Those who have not taken bath, they are sleeping because the jivan
shakti’s (water’s another name is jivan) touch is not there. In addition to all these
bondages that we must eat, sleep and bath, we have additional bondages that I want
air conditioner, I want to be in Chennai etc., with all these conditions padam gacchanti
anämayam (reaching His Kingdom) is impossible. The three fold miseries of our
material existence are
1) Misery arising out of body and mind
2) Misery caused by other living entities and
3) Miseries caused by the demigods.

Srimad Bhagavatam which is non-different from Krishna, is giving the way out of these
miseries. In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 7.15.24, Narada Muni says to Maharaj Yudhishtira:

kåpayä bhütajaà duùkhaà daivaà jahyät samädhinä


ätmajaà yoga-véryeëa nidräà sattva-niñevayä

“By good behaviour and freedom from envy one should counteract sufferings due to
other living entities, by meditation in trance one should counteract sufferings due to
providence, and by practicing hatha-yoga, pranäyäma and so forth one should
counteract sufferings due to the body and mind. Similarly, by developing the mode of
goodness, especially in regard to eating, one should conquer sleep.”

1. Miseries arising out of body and mind (ätmajam): We cannot get rid of the miseries
arising out of our body. There is only one way to get rid of it and that is Yoga viryena -
by yogic exercises. We may not be able to do all the exercises, but walking is the best
exercise. If it is possible don’t take too much medicine. There is no mention of medicine
in Srimad Bhagavatam. Life-long chronic diseases may require some medicines. By
taking too many medicines the reddishness of the body will go and the muscles become
stiffened. We can see so many people neither living nor dying and they are just
breathing and lakhs of rupees are spent on them. The best yoga which can cure us is
bhakti-yoga. The holy names should always be on our tongues. It is a Räm bhän
upäya. The misery can be tolerated with bhakti-yoga. For miseries arising out of the
mind the best weapon is to neglect. If the mind tells something other than Krishna,
you neglect.

2. Miseries arising out of other living entities: For those who always remember the
Lord, the protection (kavaca) of the Lord is always there. The other living entities will
also change and will not cause any difficulty to us.

3. Miseries arising out of demigods: These miseries are beyond our control. Suppose
suddenly there is an earthquake, what can we do? daivam jahyät samädhina- We have

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to just chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra. If we are to be saved, we will be saved
or otherwise we will die remembering the Lord and go back to Him.

Our goal is one and that is to go back to Godhead and be engaged in His service. If this
is the goal, we have to get rid of other things slowly. The situation of our life is very
beautifully described in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.20.37:

naivävidan kñéyamäëaà jalaà gädha-jale-caräù


yathäyur anv-ahaà kñayyaà narä müòhäù kuöumbinaù

“The fish swimming in the increasingly shallow water did not at all understand that
the water was diminishing, just as foolish family men cannot see how the time they
have left to live is diminishing with every passing day.”

This is our life. We cannot stay here. We cannot be proud of anything. We don’t have
any relationships here. Our only relationship is with Krishna. This is eternal. To recognise
the eternal person we have to endeavour every day. For this - sthiratha is required
(steadfastness). Austerity is required. We should not look for the returns. We have this
day in our hand. Whatever work we do for our maintenance that has to be done very
nicely. Fruitive results will come, but it has to be offered to Krishna. Then sthirathä will
come. With Krishna money becomes Lakshmi or otherwise she becomes Durga. Then
money is spent on drinking and other sinful activities. Our shastras are very practical
and how can we not get attracted to it? Why are we running after the fruits? Krishna is
acintya – inconceivable. Srimad Ramayan declares – acintyäh khalu ye bhaväh. If we
cannot think of Him, how can we touch Him? There is so much deception going on
about the anämayam padam – Supreme Destination. Srimad Bhagavatam warns us
through this verse 7.5.31:

na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëuà


duräçayä ye bahir-artha-mäninaù
andhä yathändhair upanéyamänäs
te ‘péça-tantryäm uru-dämni baddhäù

“Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life,
and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru, a similar blind man attached
to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home,
back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Vishnu. As blind men guided by
another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men
led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor,
which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic
life, suffering the threefold miseries.”

Please come to Srimad Bhagavatam and the address of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is there. We require the authority of the shastras. We do not know our
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father, and our authority is our mother. In the same way the shastras are our authority.
In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 10.27.4

indra uväca
viçuddha-sattvaà tava dhäma çäntaà
tapo-mayaà dhvasta-rajas-tamaskam
mäyä-mayo ‘yaà guëa-sampraväho
na vidyate te grahaëänubandhaù

The following is the translation for the above verse taken from Krishna book written by
Srila Prabhupada.

“My dear Lord,Your transcendental position is vishuddha-sattva, which is above the


platform of the material mode of goodness, and Your transcendental abode is beyond
the disturbance of the material qualities. Your name, fame, form, qualities,
paraphernalia and pastimes are all beyond this material nature, and they are never
disturbed by the three material modes. Your abode is accessible only for one who
undergoes severe austerities and penances and becomes completely freed from the
onslaught of material qualities like passion and ignorance. If someone thinks that
when You come within this material world You accept the modes of material nature,
he is mistaken. The waves of the material qualities are never able to touch You, and
You certainly do not accept them when You are present within this world. Your
Lordship is never conditioned by the laws of material nature.”

The above is the prayer offered by Lord Indra after the amazing pastime of lifting the
Govardhana hill by Lord Krishna. Indra lost his game and his pride was shattered. We
are also losing our game everyday. We have to do our prescribed duties nicely.
Continuous flow of Lakshmi is required to sit here and peacefully listen to these things.
A steady and peaceful atmosphere is first required. For peace, prescribed duties have to
be done nicely. Then whatever time is available, should be utilized in the study of Srila
Prabhupada’s literature. We are all very fortunate to be near the time of Srila Prabhupada.
In the above prayer, the transcendental position of the Lord is described as ‘vishuddha
sattvam’. Krishna is inconceivable and He has to be experienced. To experience Him,
first thing is that goodness is required everywhere. Always keep smiling. Prasannatha
leads to vishuddha sattvam. But we are all worried about the temporary things of the
world. It is like seeing a tiger in the dream and getting frightened. In Srimad Bhagavad-
Gita we find that when Arjuna saw the opposing party, six things happened to him and
they happen to any person who is frightened.

In Srimad Bhagavad-Gita verses 1.28 and 1.29 Arjuna says:

dåñövemaà sva-janaà kåñëa yuyutsuà samupasthitam


sédanti mama gäträëi mukhaà ca pariçuñyati

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vepathuç ca çarére me roma-harñaç ca jäyate


gäëòévaà sraàsate hastät tvak caiva paridahyate

“Arjuna said: My dear Krishna, seeing my friends and relatives present before me in
such a fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up.
My whole body is trembling, my hair is standing on end, my bow Gändiva is slipping
from my hand, and my skin is burning.”

The outward manifestation of the burning of the heart is the burning of the skin. When
we get up from our sleep, we become peaceful because we know that everything was a
dream. In the material world, like waves, one after another, miseries are coming. We
have to please recognize that this is all dream. If we learn this, it is easy to be in vishuddha
sattvam. It is in our hands to do it. The mind is controlled by placing it at the lotus feet
of the Lord. sa vai manah kåñëa padäravindayoh. The mind has to be controlled with
steady intelligence. How the intelligence will be steady? Desires must be controlled.
The first step is prajahäti yadä kämän. Flow of desires will be there but the objective
must be changed. At the moment our desires are wild, running after sense gratification.
This we have to avoid. The objective will be satisfaction of Krishna. According to
Bhagavad-Gita, our life has to be molded so that Krishna will be satisfied.

As soon as we do this, we are in tava dhäma shäntam (Your Kingdom which is ever
peaceful ). We are already there. We are now in His dhäm. We are not far away. As soon
as you are steady, prasannata is there. Daily we have to touch His dhäm. In order to
touch His dhäm, you have to come to vishuddha sattvam. For this chant nicely, read
Srila Prabhupada books. Then we can experience Him. It will reveal in our life style.
You will be steady, always happy, come what may. At the moment, our happiness is
conditioned depending upon so many things. We want eternal happiness. This material
life is a dream. Tiger will come. When we are in dream, it looks like real. Leave the
dream and come to vishuddha sattvam.

Why Krishna’s abode is peaceful because the modes are completely absent. In whose
life, modes are less or completely absent, they are in the dhäma. Don’t get attached to
the modes. The whirls and whirlpools of material nature have to be completely got rid
of. We have to do it and have the experience. There is no injection which can give you
this state.

Humility and austerity will give us entry into His domain which is completely impossible
for anybody to get into.

1. Humility
Only humility can take us to Him. We are full of disqualifications. With all the mucus,
bile, stool and urine we are carrying day in and day out, what can we expect? We

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have to be humble and beg to Him. This is the way to enter His abode. As soon as we
lie low on the ground before Him, then we are in vishuddha sattvam (Purified goodness).
Vishuddha is visesha shuddha – extra purified. Vishuddha sattvam goes hand in hand with
humility. Showy humility does not help. Really we have to be humble. As soon as we
come to vishuddha sattvam, then we can touch His kingdom.

Krishna’s kingdom is completely peaceful. Uncontaminated life is peaceful life.


Contamination is disturbance. Lust, anger, greed, envy are all contaminations. Why for
a short life we are doing all this? This is madness, pramattam. We have to stop this. In
order to stop this we have to be really humble. Our nature must be humble. We have to
cultivate it. Otherwise we have to forget about His dhäm. Never touch anger or envy.

2. Austerity
The clue to be without anger and envy is to get rid of excessive sense gratification. All
our monks, saints and sages were very austere. That is why Krishna’s kingdom is
‘tapomayam’. Unless you are ‘tapomayam’ (full of austerity) don’t dream to approach the
anämayam padam (The place without miseries). Austere life is the best life. Because
austerity is decreased, our body is full of diseases. We don’t get up early. To get up early
in the morning is a great austerity.

The great austerity in this age particularly, is to just have the theistic attitude. That is to
just believe in God. To that extent we are contaminated. We deny the existence of God
and that is the last snare of illusory energy. In this age, Srila Prabhupada introduced the
chanting of 16 rounds and so many other regulations. Times are fast changing. It is very
difficult to find theistic attitude. We should believe that there is some controller and
India being a pious land, theism is our monopoly.

Do some manual seva for Krishna. At least once during the day we must perspire and to
that extent we should exert ourselves. It can be a piece of land or house. Clean it for
Krishna.

With humility and austerity, we do not have to run after vishuddha sattvam. Vishuddha
sattvam will run after us. We are all very special and we are chosen by Krishna. So many
living entities are there. Out of all of them human beings are very few. Out of human
beings also, savage, untrained, ignorant human beings are there. Only a very few are a
bit conscious. Out of that lot also, very few are interested to know what is beyond
material life. Out of that also, this Krishna conscious crowd is very rare. Out of this
also, those who try very sincerely are very, very rare. And they are chosen by Him.
They don’t have anything but they don’t lack anything. Only one thing we should do.
Our japa mala must move very sincerely, Bhagavad-Gita must be studied; Srimad
Bhagavatam must be scrutinizingly studied. Read and write something. Every word
should be meditated. We don’t have a single moment to spare. Sincerity is required.
To have the sincerity, always remember the last day in the death bed. Everything will
be there but we cannot move. This body is going to drop. We have only this time at

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our disposal. In this also, there are so many false engagements. Maintenance services
have to be done. Family is there. Body is there and eating and sleeping are required.
Try to reduce them. Out of all this, steal the time and utilize it in spiritual matters.
Otherwise vishuddha sattvam is impossible. As soon as we do anything regarding
Krishna we are in vishuddha sattvam. Do something for Krishna. Always names must
be there. Constant hammering of Krishna consciousness must be there. Please try to
squeeze spiritual matters in your own day-to-day busy schedule. The day may come
when we may not be able to smile even. The muscles will become stiff. Don’t wait to
that extent. So urgency is there. Don’t waste time.”

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Being Devoid of Krishna is Danger


In the fifteenth chapter of the first canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, we find that Arjuna
comes back from Dwaraka after hearing the news of the departure of Lord Krishna to
His eternal abode and seeing the unprecedented dejection of Arjuna, Maharaj Yudhistira
asks him about the reason for his grief. At that time, Arjuna with strong feeling of
separation from Krishna, speaks a number of verses remembering and feeling obliged to
the Lord for all the benefactions. In Srimad Bhagavatam 1.15.21 he speaks about the
reason for him being defeated by infidel cowherd men when he was guarding all the
wives of Krishna.

tad vai dhanus ta iñavaù sa ratho hayäs te


so ‘haà rathé nåpatayo yata änamanti
sarvaà kñaëena tad abhüd asad éça-riktaà
bhasman hutaà kuhaka-räddham ivoptam üñyäm

“I have the very same Gandiva bow, the same arrows, the same chariot drawn by the
same horses, and I use them as the same Arjuna to whom all the kings offered their
due respects. But in the absence of Lord Krishna, all of them, at a moment’s notice,
have become null and void. It is exactly like offering clarified butter on ashes,
accumulating money with a magic wand or sowing seeds on barren land.”

In his transcendental purport Srila Prabhupada writes categorically, “One should not be
puffed up by borrowed plumes. All energies and powers are derived from the supreme source,
Lord Krishna, and they act as long as He desires and cease to function as soon as He withdraws.
All electrical energies are received from the powerhouse, and as soon as the powerhouse
stops supplying energy, the bulbs are of no use. In a moment’s time such energies can be
generated or withdrawn by the supreme will of the Lord.”

In the above verse the word ‘éça-riktaà’ is very important for us to understand. ‘isha’
means ‘Krishna, the Supreme Controller’ and ‘riktam’ means ‘void of’. Our lives become
useless and full of danger, devoid of Krishna. If we want to save ourselves from being
devoid of Krishna, understanding and practising certain things become essential and I
am summarizing herewith the following points spoken by our beloved Guru Maharaj in
this regard.

1. Understanding the greatness of Krishna


2. Understanding the uselessness of the material body
3. Leading a simple life
4. Peaceful attitude
5. Wasting time is the greatest crime
6. Changing our life style
7. Understanding that nothing depends on us
8. Krishna is our capital
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Being Devoid of Krishna is Danger

Maharaj gave a number of wonderful instructions on the above points and I shall try
to transcribe them to the best of my ability, by his blessings.

1. Understanding the Greatness of Krishna:


“The first difficulty is that we have no idea of the greatness of Krishna. General mass,
they think that they know about Krishna but they are completely ignorant. We are heir-
apparent to the Vedic culture but it has become a ritual and we have to be careful about
it. Ritual means just doing. That’s it. In the shop there is one corner and that is the
temple. They light agarbathi (incense) and forget about the whole thing. That is ritual.
That should go away. The sincerity can only be there when we understand Him. Ritual
has no meaning at all. Because we do not have any heart or bhäva or mellow, we have no
attraction. In order to develop the mellow, we must know the person. In order to describe
Krishna there are innumerable verse in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.
These verses are divided in two parts. The first part is how we should behave and
improve the quality of our life. The other part of the verses gives clear description of
Krishna. A few verses we should try to understand in order to understand the greatness
of the Lord. Otherwise our lives are useless. Our life becomes ‘éça-riktaà’ devoid of
Krishna. We try to put everything else first and keep Krishna in the last. That is our
difficulty.

2. Understanding the uselessness of the material body:


Srimad Bhagavatam 10.10.10 states:

deva-saàjïitam apy ante


kåmi-viò-bhasma-saàjïitam

“While living one may be proud of one’s body, thinking oneself a very big man,
minister, president or even demigod, but whatever one may be, after death this body
will turn either into worms, into stool or into ashes.”

These are the three things we have to remember. At the end, as soon as the atma (soul)
and the paramatma (Supersoul) leave the body, the body will be converted in to stool if
the body is eaten by the birds. If the body is buried, it will become insects and if the
body is burnt, it will become ash. Such a big body and the ash is only a palmful. So what
is there to be proud of?

We do not know one thing. The bones and the flesh do not have the capacity to give
mobility. It is only the air in the body that moves. Air is the main thing and it is the
energy of Krishna. Till the air is there we are moving about, seeing and hearing. As
soon as it is gone, the body is there but it doesn’t work at all. Srila Prabhupada gives
a very nice example. If we pump the air into the balloon, it will fly. But as soon as
there is a pin-prick in the balloon, the air will come out, and that balloon without any
life will fall down on the ground. However hard we try in our life, our life is like that
of the balloon. For balloon, we require a pin-prick to take the air out. But this body

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doesn’t require pin-prick. It just goes away within no time - null and void. As soon as
Krishna rejects (tvad upekñitänäm) the body is gone. So what is there to be proud of?
Everything is depending on air. Suppose air is absent from this planet, there won’t be
any life. All the movement is because of air, and with the movement there is
consciousness or cetanä. There is the motive power and it moves. The motive power
is supplied by the heart and that is why the heart is very important. In one hour,
nearly 5 litres of blood is supplied to the different limbs and again the dirty blood is
collected and because of the air, it is purified and again supplied. How much dirty
things are within? In our body, except mütra and viñöa (urine and stool) we don’t
have anything. You drink, it becomes mütra. You eat, it becomes viñöa. We are doing
both and that is needed for the survival of the body. The minimum goes in, that is the
best. That is why we get up at 4.00 am and since then, till 9.00 am we do not have
anything. Otherwise, ordinary people don’t get up early. As soon as he gets up, he
must have tobacco or tea or some intoxicant.

In the morning we get up and we throw ourselves before the Lord. This is humility. And
because of this humility the body is getting nourished. Humility is required for a healthy
body. As soon as you are proud, your circulation doesn’t go normal. That is the thing.
All the six enemies kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, mätsarya stop the circulation of
blood. The first ABC of spiritual knowledge is that we have to be very humble ‘trnädapi
sunicena..’ and we are proud of so many things. Pride and spiritual progress cannot
go together. Those who are really humble, they can go to Krishna by following the
spiritual process.

Srila Prabhupada has not complicated bhakti. He has made it very simple. Bhakti is
very important and it doesn’t require anything. It only requires the constant
remembrance in our mind that I have to perform bhakti. I have to chant my rounds,
I have to read Srimad Bhagavatam, I have to come to the temple, I have to fall down
before the Lord. Just by offering dandavat pranams, it is acupressure. For dandavat
there is a nice word in Sanskrit säñöäìga-danòavat. Sa añöäìga – with eight limbs we
fall down and as soon as we fall down, these 8 points are pressed. These are the 8
very vital points wherein energy is produced by pressing. The more you offer
dandavats, the healthier you will be. To offer dandavats, we have to be very humble.
Otherwise the suit is there and we are concerned that the crease should not go away.
Somehow or the other, with humility try to understand the uselessness of this body
and this body is very dear to us. How can we be proud of a bag of stool and urine?
The scientists say that every seven years all the living cells are changing and we have
a new body. This body is nothing but a lump of ignorance.

3. Leading a simple life:


We should have the minimum things for subsistence. More than that is theft. Because
electricity is there and lights are there, we are careless during the day. We don’t have
any idea that this bright sunshine is going to finish. In the evening it is dark. But we do
not worry because in the darkness again we have electricity and so we don’t work

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Being Devoid of Krishna is Danger

during the day and we work afterwards. Now this sin we have to repay. Now the
point has come, so much electricity is used and we have no fuel to create electricity
and for fuel we spend so much. So we have to find the alternative and we are using
nuclear power and it is a disaster. In England, they have used so much nuclear power
to create electricity. If you want to shave, shaving machine is there, if you want
chutney mixie is there and for washing, washing machine is there. Bulbs and lights
are very powerful. If you fly over the city during night, the city appears to be burning.
This is really a sin and nuclear power has a waste-ash. Wherever the powerhouse is,
you will have some waste and around 20 miles radius, nothing grows. The land becomes
completely useless and so because they want to throw the nuclear ash, they try to
throw into the ocean. So fish cannot survive and aquatics become extinct.

Thus we are all in a very dangerous position and we are moving towards head on crash.
So extensive preaching is required and preaching means reaching the people. Reaching
the people taking Prabhu (Krishna) with us is preaching (Prabhu plus reaching). And
maybe somebody will try. But don’t be discouraged. Prabhupada was all alone. He could
have thought ‘I am all alone. Who is going to hear me?’ If he had thought like that we
would not be here. So if one man can do so much, how much we should all be doing.
Prabhupada always told, “Don’t make my deities and put on the altar. Otherwise they will
think that I am an incarnation and whatever I have done nobody can do. No ..No… everybody
can do. I am sincere and you are not. That’s it.”

4. Peaceful attitude:
Anything anti-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-Gita, you are harming your health. That you
do not know. There is very intimate connection between the well-being of the body and
following of Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita. Apart from spiritual progress, for
our material life to also run smoothly, we have to have these things. If something happens
to the body, doctors also recommend bed rest. They want us to be peaceful. Bed rest
means we have to keep quiet and they want us to keep quiet. So our Vedic culture has
supplied the peaceful attitude. From early morning we are peaceful. We cannot have
any peace, unless we have some attraction for the supreme peaceful personality ‘çäntäya’.
That is why ‘çäntäh’ is the main quality of the devotees. You can only be peaceful if you
have a firm shelter. The small child doesn’t worry at all because he knows that my father
is very powerful. ‘‘I have caught hold of his finger and I am safe.’’ So he crosses the road
also. He is not afraid because he has caught the fingers of his father. So if we catch the
finger of Krishna, we will never be afraid.

Nowadays permanency is completely absent in everything. Formerly, the kings were


there and they were taking care of everything. So people were having a peaceful life. I
remember, if they get a pensionable job, they will be at ease. Now you get a job and
again the sword is hanging on your head, this is horrible and it is killing the population.
It is better to shoot them off. If your father is organized, you have plenty of money, or
you are living on investment or whatever, so far so good. Our peace of mind should
never be disturbed.

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5. Wasting time is the greatest crime:


It is said in the scriptures,

kälakñepo na kartavyah kñéëam äyuh kñaëe kñaëe


yamasya karunä nästi kartavyam hari kértanam

“The precious time should not be wasted, because our lifespan is getting reduced
every moment and Yamaraja has no mercy and he will catch us by the neck. Hence
our duty is to do Hari kirtana.”

Whatever else we do here is all useless waste of time. Minimum time has to be utilized
for maintenance. But nowadays the tax pattern of the government is so very horrible,
that people have to waste nearly 24 hours of the day just to maintain. The more you
chant, the less will be this struggle. The world is highly competitive and how much
wakeful we must be to remain in this material world? More than that we have to be
wakeful about the spiritual things. I do not know how to insist in your life to sacrifice
some time for Bhagavatam but that is a must. You please steal time, wherever it is
possible.

6. Changing our life style:


Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.7 states:

yasyäà vai çrüyamäëäyäà kåñëe parama-püruñe


bhaktir utpadyate puàsaù çoka-moha-bhayäpahä

“Simply by giving aural reception to this Vedic literature, the feeling for loving
devotional service to Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sprouts up
at once to extinguish the fire of lamentation, illusion and fearfulness.”

The result of hearing, çrüyamäëäyäà is the development of loving devotional service.


Out of so many ways of devotional service, some service must be followed. Otherwise
you cannot label yourself as a bhakta, unless you chant or read or hear eagerly. The
devotees are çravana vyagra cetasah - very eager to hear about the Lord. We should not
hear through one ear and let out through the other. It should be retained and our
lifestyle must change. Srila Prabhupada has brought so much change in our lives.

We should try to help the others as far as possible and then leave it to Krishna and He
will eventually direct. How much Srila Prabhupada had toiled and moiled to change the
hippies? To that extent, we must try day and night. Srila Prabhupada has given everything
in his books. As soon as our life is éça-riktaà - ‘devoid of Krishna’, it is dangerous.
Vacant mind is a devil’s workshop. Arjuna says in this verse that everything is the same
but Krishna is not there. Firstly, we should all be on sound footing. Unless we are on
a sound footing, how can we convince others? In America they have researched and
found out that people learn only 7% by hearing. 35% they learn by seeing and 100%

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Being Devoid of Krishna is Danger

they learn by associating with the person. So hypocrisy can never win. Prabhupada
used to tell one story. There was a solicitor. He was newly qualified and he wanted to
run the office. He had organised a nice office. Telephone was there but it was not yet
connected. He saw somebody coming to the office. He thought that a customer has
come and he wanted to impress the customer. He pretended to talk on the phone to
prime minister, chief minister and so on. After he thought that he had sufficiently
impressed the customer, the solicitor asked the person, “How can I help you?”. The
person said, “I am the technician who has come to connect your new phone’’.

How long are we going to show what we are not? You may show here and there but
eventually the truth is out. It is in our interest to progress very sincerely. To progress in
devotional service is based on the following statement of Srila Prabhupada:

“Devotional service, which is based on the foreground of full knowledge combined with
detachment from material association and which is fixed by the aural reception of the
Vedanta-shruti, is the only perfect method by which the seriously inquisitive student can
realize the Absolute Truth.”

7. Understanding that nothing depends on us:


The world was going on before we were born. We are here and the world is going on
and after us also, the world will not stop. Because everything depends on Krishna’s will
and Krishna is not under our control. He has the representative called time and time is
also not under our control. Otherwise, if I can, I will go back to 18 years of age. But I
cannot do that. This is the fact and because nothing is under our control, we cannot
ourselves do anything. This humility must be there and those who are really humble,
they can go to Krishna by following the spiritual process.

Somehow or the other try to understand the futility of this body and all the relations.
Understand that nothing depends on us. The source of income is not the source of
maintenance. We have mixed both of them together. We think, because I have income,
I am maintained. Maintenance is completely different. Otherwise, why should Ambani
die? If Krishna wishes, a new born child also, without mother, he is alright. Otherwise,
with mother also, they can’t survive. So source of maintenance is Krishna. That is known
as ‘pushti’. Poshan is coming from Him. The more the living entity is attached to Krishna,
poshan will go on. Otherwise it is impossible. Don’t run after the unnecessary mirage of
money.

8. Krishna is our capital:


We have to learn to connect ourselves to Krishna. The problem is, we don’t care if
Krishna is there or not but we want to pull on and this tendency is called ‘jijivisha’ in
Bhagavatam. We have to add Krishna in our life and in Kali-yuga only chanting of the
Holy names can help. If we are ‘éça-riktaà’ what are we going to give to the public?
Krishna is our capital. And we have to have Him. Otherwise we can’t survive. The
tiny particle has to serve the supreme particle. If we serve we will be alright. So many

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

prime ministers and presidents were there. And during their life time they were
worshiped. But now nobody remembers them. This is the position of the leaders.
Srila Prabhupada only caught hold of Krishna. He was only speaking about Bhagavatam,
chanting, bhajans nothing else. Fortunately Krishna so much favoured him that we
have temples now all over the world. The whole planet is divided into latitudes and
longitudes and on every time zone we have a temple. At the moment it is 7.00 am
somewhere and with ghee lamp Prabhupada puja is going on. Again it changes and
again in another longitude is going on. Thus 24 hours a day Prabhupada puja is going
on. Show me one leader who is worshipped like this. What is the reason? He preached
about Krishna and nothing more. Anybody who glorifies Krishna sincerely is bound
to be worshiped.”

The above instructions of our beloved Guru Maharaj save us from the danger of ‘isha
riktam’, being devoid of Krishna and hence let us try our best to follow them.

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Jewels of Wisdom
It has been our greatest good fortune that our beloved spiritual master H H
Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj was here in Abu Dhabi from 29th of November to
3rd December 2007, immersing all of us in transcendental bliss with his nectarean
instructions. We have very limited capacity to even collect the jewels of wisdom that
were flowing from his lotus mouth. Whatever we could assimilate, according to our
limited capacity, we would like to share with all the members of this wonderful
Granthraj forum. In the Mangala ärati program on 30th November 2007, Maharaj
asked us to recite the ten offences against the Holy name. As soon as the first offence
was recited, Maharaj gave a wonderful insight into it and gave a lot of practical
instructions on the ways to avoid this great offence.

The First offence: To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating
the holy name of the Lord.

“Devotees do not criticize anybody. By doing this, we save half our life. When two
people meet, we always have the tendency to talk about and criticize the third one and
this has to be avoided. He quoted the following verse from Bhâgavata-Mâhâtmyam
4.80, and every one of us should remember this always in order to get out of the
pitfall of criticizing others.

dharmam bhajasva satatam tyaja loka dharmän


sevasva sädhu purusän jahi kama trsnän
anyasya dosha guna cintanam äshu muktvä
sevä katha rasam aho nitaräm pibatvam

1. dharmam bhajasva satatam: One should always focus and speak about dharma.
Here the verb ‘bhajasva’ indicates an order and it is not a request. Dharma refers to the
religion that links us to the Supreme Personality Of Godhead. We are all eternal servants
of the Lord and this dharma is our constitutional position. Every part has to serve the
whole. The soul, which is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, can never survive on its
own. That is why the Supersoul never leaves the individual soul. If every soul is part
and parcel of Krishna, we have no right to criticize anyone. This is the practical application
of the knowledge. Unless the knowledge is realized and applied, it becomes mere
speculation. Here it is mentioned ‘satatam’, which means that the religious principles
have to be practiced all the time. A grain of practice is more valuable than tons of
knowledge. By not criticizing anybody, we are observing the austerity of speech. Speaking
is a very easy activity and that is why we criticize. Our body is so formed, that we can
see only other’s face and we cannot see our own face. We are not aware of our own
defects and we talk about others. By always performing the religious principles, we
avoid this pitfall.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

2. tyaja loka dharmän: We should abandon the general meaning of religion.


People are running after so many demigods, other living entities and so many rituals
without actual knowledge of real religion which is to glorify the Supersoul. Here
again the verb ‘tyaja’ indicates an order to abandon and is not a request. Time is
running out and we should not be running after false things. We either use the time
or lose it.

3. sevasva sädhu purusän: We should serve the sadhus.


All through our life, we are serving our mind, greed, envy, our wife, children-everything
else other than Krishna. We should serve the sadhus who are simple people who have
taken shelter of Krishna. A sadhu is a renounced person, but we should be clear that
renunciation is not only the showy fervour, but the actual realization must be there that
‘everything here is temporary’. We should always seek the association of the sadhus.
There are three things.

1. sanga - association
2. satsanga - good association
3. prasanga - Prabhu’s (Lord’s) association. (Prabhu’s sanga is prasanga)

We should always seek prasanga. In Srimad Bhagavatam 1.19.16, King Parikshit prefers
this prasanga when he prays ‘ratih prasangas ca tad-äshrayeshu’. Krishna consciousness
flows from one living entity to another and this is the value of prasanga. By this prasanga,
we save ourselves from the pitfall of criticism. Any talk, other than about Krishna,
affects our blood circulation and hampers our devotional service. If our goal is constant
remembrance of Krishna, then our tongue is automatically controlled. The more we
concentrate on the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita, the less we talk
about others. In prasanga we relish His association and this brings us satisfaction. Thus
our health definitely depends upon 100 percent Krishna consciousness.

4. jahi kama trsnän: We have to stop all material desires.


In Srimad Bhagavad-Gita 3.39, Krishna instructs,

ävåtaà jïänam etena jïänino nitya-vairiëä


käma-rüpeëa kaunteya duñpüreëänalena ca

“Thus the wise living entity’s pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal
enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.”

Devotional life means all transcendental and hence all the material desires have to be
given up.

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5. anyasya dosha guna cintanam äshu muktvä: We should not think about other’s
bad and good qualities.
We should concentrate on our own bad qualities and try to improve our qualities
and behaviour. Our minds are always wandering thinking about so many things. We
have already wandered through 84 lakhs of species completing at least one round,
but even now our mind wanders. We should stop this wandering of the mind.

6. sevä katha rasam aho nitaräm pibatvam: We should drink regularly the nectarean
juice of Krishna’s topics.
So many times we say that Bhagavad-Gita is non-different from the Lord, but again
we do not focus on Bhagavad-Gita, and we talk so many other things. We have to
change our nature and habituate ourselves to studying the scriptures. ‘pibatvam’
means ‘you drink’ which means that we should seclude ourselves for one or two
hours and read and understand the scriptures.

In conclusion, for our own health we should stop criticizing.

Second offence: To consider the names of demigods like Lord Shiva or Lord Brahma to be
equal to, or independent of the name of Lord Vishnu.

In Srimad Bhagavatam 5.18.32 it is said very nicely:

jaräyujaà svedajam aëòajodbhidaà


caräcaraà devarñi-pitå-bhütam aindriyam
dyauù khaà kñitiù çaila-sarit-samudra-
dvépa-graharkñety abhidheya ekaù

“My dear Lord, You manifest Your different energies in countless forms: as living
entities born from wombs, from eggs and from perspiration; as plants and trees that
grow out of earth; as all living entities, both moving and standing, including the
demigods, the learned sages and the pitäs; as outer space, as the higher planetary
system containing the heavenly planets, and as the planet earth with its hills, rivers,
seas, oceans and islands. Indeed, all the stars and planets are simply manifestations
of Your different energies, but originally You are one without a second. Therefore
there is nothing beyond You. This entire cosmic manifestation is therefore not false
but is simply a temporary manifestation of Your inconceivable energy.”

The realization from this knowledge is that if everything is His energy, then we should
not get stuck with His energies, but go to the energetic. Energy is always completely
under the control of the energetic. All His energies are serving Him according to His
order. Service means movement. There should always be movement, right from when
we get up at 4.00 am As soon as movement is stopped, difficulty starts. Srimad
Bhagavatam advises us that the best way to counteract the miseries arising out of

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

body is yogic exercises (ätmajam yoga viryena SB -7.15.24) and exercise means
movement. So any society which has ‘movement’, it progresses. Hence it is our duty
to increase this Krishna conscious ‘movement’.

Third offence: To disobey the orders of the spiritual master.

Disciple always means discipline. We have to become seriously disciplined in our


lives. We should always be ready to learn. Our brain is like a sponge and because of
the presence of the transcendental soul and Supersoul, we can learn so much. Scientists
have found out that in the whole of our lifetime, we utilize only 10% of our brain
capacity and the balance 90% we surrender at the time of death. The sponge-like brain
has to be refreshed always with the learning of Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita.
As soon as we stop learning or speaking about Krishna, we glide down to sense
gratification and everything collapses. Voluntary control will help us to survive very
happily in this world and this is the Vedic culture. The less the material touch, the better
it is. Now-a-days advancement means stopping movement. Anything which is detrimental
to sevä-kathä-rasam (nectarean topics and service of Krishna), must be avoided.
Austere life is always full of movement.

Fourth offence: To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literatures in pursuance of the Vedic
version.

If we do not understand the Vedic literature, then we start blaspheming. We should not
lose faith in the scriptures. The transcendental topics are beyond our power of conception
and we have to take the shelter of the scriptures. As Prajapati Daksha prays to the
Supreme Lord in Srimad Bhagavatam 6.4.29,

yad yan niruktaà vacasä nirüpitaà


dhiyäkñabhir vä manasota yasya
mä bhüt svarüpaà guëa-rüpaà hi tat tat
sa vai guëäpäya-visarga-lakñaëaù

“Anything expressed by material vibrations, anything ascertained by material


intelligence and anything experienced by the material senses or concocted within the
material mind is but an effect of the modes of material nature and therefore has
nothing to do with the real nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme
Lord is beyond the creation of this material world, for He is the source of the material
qualities and creation. As the cause of all causes, He exists before the creation and
after the creation. I wish to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.”

Our duty is to continue to chant the Holy names, and in due course of time, the jiva gets
the energy from Him and whatever he speaks becomes authority.

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Jewels of Wisdom

Fifth offence: To consider the glories of chanting Hare Krishna to be imagination.

We are all concocting and we have to stop this mental concoction. In family also,
transcendence is very important. With all the transcendence also, we have so many
difficulties. One is considered to be a failure in his life as long as he makes no inquiry
about his real identity. Engrossment in sense gratification entails transmigration from
one body to another and the engrossment has its source in mental concoction. Hence
this mental concoction has to be avoided.

Sixth offence: To give some mundane interpretation on the holy name of the Lord.

We cannot interpret the meaning and the effect of the holy name of the Lord. Krishna
has to be just experienced. It is said:

ataù çré-krishna-nämädi na bhaved grähyam indriyaiù


sevonmukhe hi jihvädau svayam eva sphuraty adaù

“No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and
pastimes of Sri Krishna through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one
becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the
transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.”

To catch Krishna, transcendence is required and to come to transcendence we should


always chant the Mahamantra.

Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare


Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare

Seventh offence: To commit sinful activities on the strength of the holy name:

We have to sincerely take shelter of the holy name of the Lord and thus get released
from the propensity to act sinfully.

Eighth offence: To consider the chanting of Hare Krishna one of the auspicious ritualistic
activities offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities.

We are always after possessions and that is why we go for fruitive activities always
expecting something. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita 4.12

käìkñantaù karmaëäà siddhià yajanta iha devatäù


kñipraà hi mänuñe loke siddhir bhavati karma-jä

“Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship
the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world.”
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

To avoid this, we must always visualize the last day of our life. At the last moment, all
the possessions become useless. We should be attached only to the minimum extent
and we must be detached from the maximum extent. We are worried about our own
journey and only remembrance of Krishna will help. The visualization of the last day,
makes us completely straightforward and saves us from criticism and so many other
material things.

Ninth offence: To instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name.

Complete faith in the Supreme gives us the psychological shelter. The child becomes
peaceful, as soon as it has full faith in the parents. Unmanifested faith doesn’t work. In
our Vedic culture, we do not lack anything. We should first improve ourselves as soon
as possible by utilizing the gift of Srila Prabhupada in the form of so much paraphernalia
and thus invoke faith in others also.

Tenth offence: To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and to maintain
some material attachments even after understanding so many instructions on this matter.

Whenever we are lethargic or fed up with chanting or reading, we should always


visualize our last moment of life, and anyone can have the last moment at any time.
We may not have the opportunity to come together and listen to all the valuable things.
Hence we should make the best use of the available opportunity.”

We all pray at the lotus feet of our spiritual master and seek his blessings that we may
become successful in our sincere endeavors to avoid the above offences by following
the practical instructions Maharaj has given us. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila
Gurudeva!

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

90
Eleven Causes for Dejection
The 14th chapter of the first canto of Srimad Bhagavatam describes the circumstances
concerning the disappearance of Lord Krishna from this earth after the Kurukshetra
war. Sometime after the war was over, Arjuna went to Dwaraka to see Lord Sri Krishna
and other friends. In the mean time Maharaj Yudhishtira observes signs indicating the
Lord’s disappearance from the world, and as he is contemplating on these bad omens
Arjuna returns from Dwaraka. He comes before Yudhishtira with tears in his eyes and
appears utterly dejected. First, Maharaj Yudhishtira enquires about the welfare of the
inhabitants of Dwaraka and then he raises questions concerning the cause for Arjuna’s
dejection from verse SB 1.14.39-44. In a nectarean and instructive Srimad Bhagavatam
class on 24th January, 2006 in Rajkot, our spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami
Maharaj pointed out these eleven causes and that we should learn how to avoid them on
our path of bhakti-yoga. The causes are as follows, including Maharaj’s instructions on
how to avoid them:

1. Health is not good:


We can do nothing about the health since it is under Krishna’s control. Good health is
thus a gift from Krishna. However we must take care of our health by natural means.
Avoid basmas (metal which is turned back in to organic matter). Only take medicines
which are coming directly from the tree. Our food itself is medicine if we follow the
proper diet. Spices like ginger, cinnamon, pepper are wonderful medicines which will
prevent all kinds of diseases.

2. Disrespect and neglect:


We disrespect others because we think we are going to be here forever, and we are
always neglecting others at least mentally. To avoid neglect to ourselves we should
never take help from others unnecessarily. If others disrespect or neglect us we should
never retaliate. Maharaj says, ‘No retaliation is the best retaliation.’ This formula is
found in Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.18.48.

tiraskåtä vipralabdhäù çaptäù kñiptä hatä api


näsya tat pratikurvanti tad-bhaktäù prabhavo ‘pi hi

“The devotees of the Lord are so forbearing that even though they are defamed, cheated,
cursed, disturbed, neglected or even killed, they are never inclined to avenge
themselves.”

If we do not retaliate then our material account with that person is cut short, and we
avoid wasting time and energy with further series of retaliations. Common people do
not follow this therefore they are moved by the lower modes. Our duty is to take
them out of this.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

3. Unfriendly words and threats:


We are always faced with inimical words from others. The same formula of, ‘No
retaliation is the best retaliation’, applies here. Maharaj Parikshit prayed in verse
1.19.16: “Again, offering obeisances unto all you brahmanas, I pray that if I should
again take my birth in the material world, I will have complete attachment to the
unlimited Lord Krishna, association with His devotees and friendly relations with all
living beings.” If we always try to be friendly with everyone around us, there will not
be unfriendly interactions.

4. Not being able to give charity to the needy


In Bhagavatam (6.10.6) it is stated that those who are too selfish do not care for others
and therefore do not give charity to the needy people. But such a tendency is the cause
of dejection. To avoid this, therefore we have to be generous towards needy people.

5. Not able to keep up the promise


If we are not able to keep up the promise, then we should keep our mouth shut.

6. Not being able to give protection


Certain people in certain conditions should be protected, if we neglect to protect them
we will not be able to go to Bhagavatam.

7. Dealings with women


Women are to be always respected as mothers. Disrespect to women means destruction.

8. Conquered by inferiors or equals


Naturally, being defeated by others, leads us to dejection. But the best way to conquer
anything in this world is through hearing and reciting Srimad Bhagavatam (tato jayam
udirayet - Srimad Bhagavatam is the very means of conquest).

9. Not taking care of old men and boys and not feeding them
We have to be magnanimous in giving prasadam to everyone, especially old men and
young kids who are dependent souls. In not doing this service, we tend to become
narrow-minded and selfish and it leads to dejection.

10. Loss of intimate relative or friend


This is not under our control therefore we should not be dejected. In a previous lecture
Maharaj pointed out two verses which explain that the passing of embodied souls is
under the full control of the Lord, therefore we cannot protect anybody, so why should
we lament? The body is destined to be destroyed, therefore it is better to keep one’s
focus on the eternal destination, both for one’s own sake and for the real benefit of
others. In Srimad Bhagavatam 1.13.41 it is said:

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Eleven Causes for Dejection

närada uväca
mä kaïcana çuco räjan yad éçvara-vaçaà jagat
lokäù sapälä yasyeme vahanti balim éçituù
sa saàyunakti bhütäni sa eva viyunakti ca

Sri Narada said: “O pious King, do not lament for anyone, for everyone is under the
control of the Supreme Lord. Therefore all living beings and their leaders carry on
worship to be well-protected. It is He only who brings them together and disperses
them.”

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.13.46:

käla-karma-guëädhéno deho ‘yaà päïca-bhautikaù


katham anyäàs tu gopäyet sarpa-grasto yathä param

“This gross material body made of five elements is already under the control of eternal
time [käla], action [karma] and the modes of material nature [guna]. How, then, can
it, being already in the jaws of the serpent, protect others?”

The Lord is the Supreme protector and maintainer, if we allow Him to be so and accept
His way, then where is the cause for dejection?

11. Separation from Krishna


Feeling bereft of Krishna is the ultimate cause of dejection and sadness. To avoid this,
we have to follow the process of devotional service through chanting the holy names,
studying the shastras and serving the Lord and devotees constantly. In these three
activities we can always realize Krishna and hence we will never be separated from
Krishna. These devotional activities, hence, are the source of supreme joy.

- Tejasvi Krishna das, Denmark.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Whatever We Own, Owns Us


The following is notes from His Holiness Mahavishnu Gosvami Maharaj’s class on
Srimad Bhagavatam 7.5.30, given in London, June 10, 2008. Srila Gurudeva is here
speaking the direct truth for the benefit of all, about the crime it is to claim any kind
of material ownership.
çré-prahräda uväca
matir na kåñëe parataù svato vä
mitho ‘bhipadyeta gåha-vratänäm
adänta-gobhir viçatäà tamisraà
punaù punaç carvita-carvaëänäm

Prahlada Maharaj replied: “Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted
to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew
that which has already been chewed. Their inclinations toward Krishna are never
aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination
of both.”

Maharaj said, “They make a show, you know, that they are Krishna conscious. Mangala
arati and cricket and soccer; we have puja in the same place as we play cricket and
soccer. This is impersonalism, which leads to destruction. If the Deities are not respected
and glorified, They will go away after some time. Sometimes, the householder wants to
please the child, the wife, the son etc., and sometimes he’s fed up all together. Because
of uncontrolled senses, they will force us to do these things. There is only one way to
control the senses. Sukadeva Goswami says in Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.18

sa vai manaù kåñëa-padäravindayor


vacäàsi vaikuëöha-guëänuvarëane
karau harer mandira-märjanädiñu
çrutià cakäräcyuta-sat-kathodaye

“Maharaj Ambarisa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of
Krishna, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the
Lord’s temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Krishna or about Krishna.”

Please avoid this show. Show-bottle devotional service will only entangle us more and
more. Better do whatever little you can do sincerely. Cricket and soccer, there is so
many other places we can do that, but why in front of Krishna?

Grha-vratas are persons who are too addicted to the materialistic, bodily conception of
life. It is a fact that whatever we own, owns us. The world is like this. They’re fed up
because they’re not with Krishna. That is the only reason. Like in Israel, it’s called
“muddy lakes”; the more you struggle to get out, the more you’ll sink down into it.

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Whatever We Own, Owns Us

We have a very high estimation of ourselves. That’s why we don’t understand: whatever
we own, owns us. You cannot really safeguard anything material. Because it belongs to
Krishna! Until we don’t claim ownership over anything, we’re quite all right. The day
we decide “this is mine”, police will come, because it’s a false claim! Instead, whatever
we own – offer it to Krishna. There is no alternative to this.”

Maharaj said, “As long as the body is in order, one is not suffering; everything has a
meaning to you. But as soon as you’re suffering, the body is not all right; nothing has
meaning. Because there is no self-enquiry, one thinks like this. One’s whole life’s lineage
is there in the mind, so there is no place for Krishna in the mind. Please look up this
verse, Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.9:

manye dhanäbhijana-rüpa-tapaù-çrutaujas-
tejaù-prabhäva-bala-pauruña-buddhi-yogäù
närädhanäya hi bhavanti parasya puàso
bhaktyä tutoña bhagavän gaja-yütha-päya

Prahlada Maharaj continued: “One may possess wealth, an aristocratic family, beauty,
austerity, education, sensory expertise, luster, influence, physical strength, diligence,
intelligence and mystic yogic power, but I think that even by all these qualifications
one cannot satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, one can satisfy the
Lord simply by devotional service. Gajendra did this, and thus the Lord was satisfied
with him.”

Srila Prabhupada says in his purport, “No kind of material qualification is the means for
satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in Bhagavad-Gita, only by devotional
service can the Lord be known (bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti [Bg. 18.55]). Unless the Lord is
pleased by the service of a devotee, the Lord does not reveal Himself (näham prakäsah sarvasya
yoga-maya-samävrtah [Bg. 7.25]). This is the verdict of all shastras. Neither by speculation
nor by material qualifications can one understand or approach the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.”

The last point here is very nice. Material conditions can never satisfy us. Arjuna
when he was defeated by the cowherds, after Krishna left, he became disempowered.
Please look up this verse, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.15.21:

tad vai dhanus ta iñavaù sa ratho hayäs te


so ‘haà rathé nåpatayo yata änamanti
sarvaà kñaëena tad abhüd asad éça-riktaà
bhasman hutaà kuhaka-räddham ivoptam üñyäm

“I have the very same Gandiva bow, the same arrows, the same chariot drawn by the
same horses, and I use them as the same Arjuna to whom all the kings offered their

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

due respects. But in the absence of Lord Krishna, all of them, at a moment’s notice,
have become null and void. It is exactly like offering clarified butter on ashes,
accumulating money with a magic wand or sowing seeds on barren land.”

Krishna said, “Now you should become a pure devotee,” so for devotion he didn’t need
all these things. There is nothing needed for devotional service – that is the point. One
is cursed to become rich, just so that one’s mind always has to think of banks etc. The
more material qualification we have, the more it is an impediment for devotional service.
So we better become fool in front of Krishna. That’s why Jada Bharata acted like he
did not know anything. So please try to understand these things. These things are not
needed. Devotional service means devotional service only – no conditions. Only
devotional service is required – that’s all.

We never know when our passing away will take place; we don’t consider it. This passing
away should be daily in the background of our mind at least, so that we will correct our
behaviour. Materially, we love people. But spiritually, if you loved everybody, you would
be equipoise and peaceful, shanta, always. We also have to be careful in our dealings
with people: particularly with women - secluded meetings should be avoided, including
phone calls.

Prahlada Maharaj emphasises that nothing but devotional service is required! The
illiterate man in South India crying with the Bhagavad-Gita open was recognized by
Caitanya Mahaprabhu as a pure devotee. But there are preachers who are very
knowledgeable but their eyes are always roaming. Their eyes go here and there like a
pigeon, so how can they be peaceful?”

- Amoghadrk Krishna das, Denmark.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

96
Detachment Should be Our Nature
We were extremely fortunate to associate with our Gurudeva, and by His Holiness’
presence we were completely oblivious of this temporary material world and were
immersed in the transcendental topics of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad
Bhagavatam. Today (December 4, 2007) our Guru Maharaj has left Abu Dhabi for
India and I was discussing with H G Girivaradhari Prabhu that we are once again
back to the material contamination unless we put into practice the wonderful practical
instructions of Srila Gurudeva. On 4th December 2007, our Guru Maharaj was
explaining on two words from 5.18.2 verse - dharmäya and ätma-vishodhanäya.

bhadraçravasa ücuù
oà namo bhagavate dharmäyätma-viçodhanäya nama iti

“The ruler Bhadrashravä and his intimate associates utter the following prayer: We
offer our respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the reservoir
of all religious principles, who cleanses the heart of the conditioned soul in this
material world. Again and again we offer our respectful obeisances unto Him.”

dharmäya – Source of all religious principles.


ätma-viçodhanäya - Who purifies us of material contamination.

Maharaj was explaining the process of clearing our material contamination from the
source of all religious principles, with down-to-earth practical realizations, for us to
imbibe and put into practice.

1. Detachment will lead to a pleasing attitude.


2. Pleasing attitude will lead to understanding of religious principles.
3. Religious principles makes you very active because it is essential for our bodies.
4. Such active religious principles will automatically purify our body of all contamination.

1. Detachment
A detached person never cares. As it is, ‘detachment should be our nature’. This is as
plain as daylight. Manage whatever is there and be detached. The main reason for not
having pleasing attitude is on account of anger, especially suppressed anger is very
dangerous. It can break the nerves of the brain (which are as thin as our hair) and may
lead to tension which in turn will lead to brain hemorrhage. Detachment is a must
because we are going to go away and all our relatives are not going to help us at the time
when we are in the death bed. They are more interested in our wealth and nothing else.
Therefore detachment will lead to pleasing attitude.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

2. Pleasing Attitude
Once we are pleased then our mind becomes clear and brightness will glow. This will
enable us to understand the religious principles. Religious principles are meant for
human beings or otherwise we are considered as animals. Therefore our body requires
religious principles. In order to use our body to perform religious principles we need
to be active. Therefore religious principles means being active always.

3. Religious Principles Impel Us to be Active


Religious life will propel the cleaning process. Religious principles make us active and
that will impel the circulation of blood nicely in the body which will enable us to be at
ease always. The movement should increase rapidly and we should be very active in
Krishna consciousness and other necessary material engagements. Unless the body is
alright we may not be able to perform religious principles. In order to be always active
we have to do penance. Penance only purifies our existence (tapo divyam putrakä ena
sattvam shuddhayed yasmät brahma saukhyam tu anantam). It is very important that we
should wake up for mangalara arati at 4.00 am and retire to sleep at 9.00 pm. This is a
must for a devotee. Penance includes sitting on the ground and sleeping on the mat and
not on a bed. There is no mention in the scripture for double cot bed. This leads to
laziness and relaxation which stops the circulation of blood in our body. The moment
the movement stops the disease starts creeping in. In the names of Yukta vairagya don’t
get allured by good life and increase your artificial necessities. It is very imperative that
we should have an active life full of penance. As a devotee we should have unflinching
faith in the religious process. The moment there is a small disturbance in our body we
immediately go to the doctor. Instead of natural medicines like ginger, cinnamon,
turmeric etc, we take artificial medicines which stimulate our blood circulation artificially
and may cause various damages to the body. There is a book written in America which
talks about how to save ourselves from the trap of these modern day medicines which
are killing thousands of human beings. Maharaj was saying that the moment we see a
doctor, we should take bath.

4. Purification of Material Contamination


Once we imbibe and put into practice the above religious principles it works as a perfect
purificatory medicine for even one who is in deathbed. Anything regarding Lord Krishna
is fully perfect and pure and therefore it is incumbent on our part to sincerely strive for
concrete progress on this process of purification of existence and not perform showy
fervor.

- Sajjanapriya Krishna das, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

98
Settlement of All Our Material Accounts
Settlement of All Our Material Accounts - Part 1

We in Abu Dhabi were really fortunate to have the personal association of our beloved
Guru Maharaj for three days in May 2009. Maharaj encouraged all the devotees in the
performance of devotional service and he gave very serious instructions to be remembered
and practised in our lives. We shall try our best to transcribe the lectures for the
benefit of all.

During this yatra, Maharaj was insisting on one particular point and that was regarding
the settlement of all our material accounts. We have so many material accounts in the
form of fear of death, envy, our attachment to body and family and so on. Maharaj said
that all these material accounts have got to be continuously settled one after another
before they bite our time. We are always captured and overcome by the illusory energy
because we do not see Krishna everywhere. But as soon as we see Krishna everywhere
the illusory energy has no existence. As soon as the sun appears, darkness disappears
and it cannot survive. So our aim is ‘väsudevah sarvam iti’ but it is very difficult to see
Krishna when it comes in our way of sense gratification. Unless we are very austere, we
will not see Krishna everywhere. To see Krishna means to settle all our material accounts.
On the contrary we want to cling onto and continue the material accounts and that has
got to be avoided. Accounts have got to be settled so that the mind becomes clear and
we are able to really relish Srimad Bhagavatam. Unless we glorify Krishna through Srimad
Bhagavatam we will not be happy. It is said in Srimad Bhagavatam 12.12.50:

tad eva ramyaà ruciraà navaà navaà


tad eva çaçvan manaso mahotsavam
tad eva çokärëava-çoñaëaà nåëäà
yad uttamaùçloka-yaço ‘nugéyate

“Those words describing the glories of the all-famous Personality of Godhead are
attractive, relishable and ever fresh. Indeed, such words are a perpetual festival for
the mind, and they dry up the ocean of misery.”

“The secret of preaching is that we should relish what we preach. Then only the hearers
can relish. For relishing these things, we have to first close all the material accounts and
touch them to the minimum required extent. In the Sri Prahlad International school in
Rajkot, the atmosphere is so nice that the children are so much enamoured by Deity
darshana, prayers and the whole pure atmosphere that they ask their parents to stop
watching television. Thus we get rid of all unwanted things and only carry on with the
eternal things.

This is the reason Srimad Bhagavatam is worshiped with the following beautiful verse
from Padma Purana.
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

namämi devam karunä nidhänam


tamälavarnam suhitävatäram
apära samsära samudra setum
bhajämahe bhägavata svarupam

“I offer my respectful obeisances and worship unto the Supreme Personality of


Godhead who has appeared in the form of Srimad Bhagavatam which is an ocean of
mercy, is bluish in colour, has appeared for the real benefit of all the living entities
and is the bridge to cross over the limitless ocean of repeated birth and death.”

Karuna nidhänam - Ocean of Mercy:


Just like Srimad Bhagavatam, we should also be merciful to everybody, more so to
ourselves. Mercy to ourselves means we should force ourselves to be austere. That is
best. Otherwise we misinterpret the meaning of being merciful to ourselves. To the
best of our ability we should be austere and that is the clue to give the life force in our
body a free reign in our veins. Unless the life force is freely moving in our veins, our
health gets affected. This is karunä nidhänam. Otherwise we want comfort. There are
no sofa sets in the womb of the mother. Otherwise we would come back again and
again. And definitely no sofa sets at the time of death. Why to have a sofa set in
between? Foam means we are not merciful to ourselves. Foam is a curse of Kali-
yuga. I remember in our childhood we did not know foam. Cotton mattresses were
there but they were very thin like chappati. Foam was completely absent and the
mattresses were used only during the night time and during the day time never seen.
Till our body forces us to lie down, we should be active. More so in mangala arati,
chanting, reading especially Srila Prabhupada’s books, singing. These are needed for
the free passage of life force in our veins. If we are really merciful in this way to
ourselves, in old age also the consciousness will not leave till death. Body will definitely
decay. But our consciousness should not be touched by the body’s dharma. This is
Srimad Bhagavatam. There are 18000 verses and when are we going to read and
understand them? It is really impossible unless we are merciful to ourselves in this
sense. We try to find some comfortable solution saying that after my death, my son
will do Srimad Bhagavatam for me. Son may perform some drama of Srimad
Bhagavatam. And this drama should be avoided. Instead, austerity should be there.
Really we have to be very, very austere in going through Srimad Bhagavatam and
Bhagavad-Gita. This is karuna nidhänam.

Once we are austere to the best of our ability, we can really be merciful to the other
living entities. Para-dukha-dukhi. We are all para-dukha–sukhi and para-sukha–dukhi.
And again ‘sukh’ we have to nicely understand. ‘sukh’ is not a comfortable life. ‘sukh’
is to be seriously situated in our own constitutional position. That is real sukh. Hence
the real mercy is described in the following verse of Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.40;

tvam apy adabhra-çruta viçrutaà vibhoù


samäpyate yena vidäà bubhutsitam
präkhyähi duùkhair muhur arditätmanäà
saìkleça-nirväëam uçanti nänyathä

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Settlement of All Our Material Accounts

“Please, therefore, describe the Almighty Lord’s activities which you have learned
by your vast knowledge of the Vedas, for that will satisfy the hankerings of great
learned men and at the same time mitigate the miseries of the masses of common
people who are always suffering from material pangs. Indeed, there is no other way
to get out of such miseries.”

For broadcasting the message of the Lord, all the material assets we have should be
used. Frankly speaking, if we think of our own assets, we are going to hand it over to
somebody else at the time of death or somebody may clinch it. This is a fact and this
best philosophy we have converted into arm chair philosophy.

Suhitävatäram- Appearance for the Real Welfare of all the Living Entities:
Srimad Bhagavatam is not only for the ‘hith’ but for the ‘suhith’ of all the jivas. The
living entities have to be convinced to recognize the life force in our own body which is
the Paramatma feature or the Supersoul. Once that is recognized, all our endeavors
should be to have a free passage for the life force in our body. Brain has millions of
nerves thinner than hair and unless the Lord is kind, He will not allow the free passage.
Medical systems concentrate on the body and not the life force. At the time of death the
smaran or remembrance of the Lord is the most important thing, but we have completely
forgotten that and we have remembrance of only doctors, nurses, chloroform, oxygen
mask etc., It is in our interest that we have to go back to simple death. Death is bound
to come and we have to be ready for that. The real karuna is to just visualize the last day
of the body. Everything will be there but we will not be able to do anything. In our
custom, as soon as we know that a person is going to die, we take him and put him on
the floor. Death is on the floor. This is our custom. How much austerity? While living
why are we not on the floor? In those days, nobody had spine trouble. They were all
lying on the flat floor and hardly some mattress was there. It was all flat and spine
trouble was completely absent. If you are really merciful to yourselves, don’t sleep after
4.00 am Try to put your heads in Srila Prabhupada books and he will train you.
The Lord declares in Bhagavad-Gita 4.7

yadä yadä hi dharmasya glänir bhavati bhärata


abhyutthänam adharmasya tadätmänaà såjämy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of


Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.”

The real dharma gläni is in ourselves. We are forgetting our constitutional position.
Because we are away from the constitutional position, we are suffering so much. If we
are really merciful to ourselves, we have to revive our own constitutional position.
Otherwise we misinterpret mercy. The best thing is to distribute Harinama. For that
purpose we may spend our riches or whatever we have. Real mercy is to give Harinama.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Apära samsära samudra setum- The bridge to cross over the limitless ocean of repeated
birth and death:
There is no limit to this ocean of birth and death because of our ignorance. Unless we
make efforts to remove this ignorance, there is no question of mercy either to ourselves
or to others. Philanthropy or other welfare activities will force us to come back again
and hence we cannot stop there.

Bhajämahe - I worship:
The above reasons make me worship Srimad Bhagavatam. There is really no exact English
translation for the word ‘bhaj’. It is not throwing some rice in the fire in a ritual. Our
whole existence must be suitable for bhajan and that is Prabhupada’s meaning. Anything
short of it is not bhajan. So 24 hours alertness is required. And that alertness is the
monopoly of Krishna consciousness. We are always doing something to cross over this
material existence. That is why Srimad Bhagavatam is a must and we worship it.

Bhägavata svarupam - Srimad Bhagavatam is His form living with us:


How can we leave this svarupa? We may not have the deities or pictures or other svarupa.
Any small book of Srila Prabhupada we can always carry and it will be helping us. Any
book of Srila Prabhupada should be propagated and distributed. We have to continue
with the prescribed duties and weave these activities into our life.

Settlement of All Our Material Accounts - Part 2

We should carve one thing in our mind. Everything is under the control of Krishna.
Whether we like it or not, it is a fact. Because He is the Supreme Controller, if He
allows, then only we can see and hear each other. In this age, it is so rare to come
together to glorify Him. Day by day Kali-yuga forces are advancing very fast. In order to
get out of the precarious situation we are in, very sincere attachment to Vedic traditions
are required. The domain of Krishna is completely unknown to us. Our sincerity alone
will give the peep into that domain. Krishna has stamped everything here as temporary
(nashvaram). To achieve the permanency and the sane attitude towards worldly gains
and losses we have to have the permanent connection with Krishna through Srila
Prabhupada’s books and this is the necessity of the day. By studying the books, we
have to understand how Krishna is the root of all creation. We should remember the
following verse stated in the Sätvata tantra:

viñëos tu tréëi rüpäëi puruñäkhyäny atho viduù


ekaà tu mahataù srañöå dvitéyaà tv aëòa-saàsthitam
tåtéyaà sarva-bhüta-sthaà täni jïätvä vimucyate

“For material creation, Lord Krishna’s plenary expansion assumes three Vishnus.
The first one, Maha-Vishnu, creates the total material energy, known as the mahat-
tattva. The second, Garbhodakashayi Vishnu, enters into all the universes to create
diversities in each of them. The third, Kshirodakashayi Vishnu, is diffused as the all-

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Settlement of All Our Material Accounts

pervading Supersoul in all the universes and is known as Paramatma. He is present


even within the atoms. Anyone who knows these three Vishnus can be liberated from
material entanglement.”

This material world is a temporary manifestation of one of the energies of the Lord. All
the activities of the material world are directed by these three Vishnu expansions of
Lord Krishna. All the material elements are created out of Tamo-guna and that is the
reason that any of the sense objects are not able to give us any satisfaction at all, we
being spiritual entities, and this we understand from Srimad Bhagavatam 2.5.23:

mahatas tu vikurväëäd rajaù-sattvopabåàhität


tamaù-pradhänas tv abhavad dravya-jïäna-kriyätmakaù

“Material activities are caused by the mahat-tattva’s being agitated. At first there is
transformation of the modes of goodness and passion, and later—due to the mode of
ignorance—matter, its knowledge, and different activities of material knowledge come
into play.”

Whatever is created is under the influence of time. Carving these things in our mind,
we have to fully depend upon Krishna, and by doing this we are not cheated. Others are
cheated because they depend upon their intelligence. Don’t depend upon anybody and
dig into your own heels with sincerity. As soon as we remember Krishna as the supreme
controller, the only one in charge, the all in all, all our material accounts are settled. We
come to the conclusion ‘kåñëät param kimapi tattvam aham na jäne’- I do not know any
truth other than Krishna. That is it. It settles everything. This is the key to settle the
material accounts. He is in complete control. He does whatever He wants. So we are
helpless. What we have to do? We have to just surrender unto Him. This settles our
account.

Settlement of All Our Material Accounts - Part 3


One of the foremost material account is our attachment with the body. 90 percent of
our time is spent on body and this account has got to be settled before we settle any
other thing. For this we have to remember the following verse from Srimad Bhagavata
Mahatmya:
dehe asthi mämsa rudhire abhimatim tyajasva
jäyä sutädishu sadä mamatäm vimunca
pashyänisham jagat idam kshana bhanga tishtham
vairägya räga rasiko bhava bhakti nishtah

“Give up the thought that this body is you. It is nothing but a collection of bones,
flesh and blood. Give up the ownership on wife, children etc., realize that this world
is very temporary. Show interest and relish (become a rasika) detachment from

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everything by performing devotional service unto the Primeval Lord Govinda, with
great determination.”

Actually nothing belongs to us. That is a fact. The main ingredient in the body is water
and it is one of the great elements which are the energies of the Supreme Lord. The
body is given on a lease to us. That means rent has to be paid. That is implied. This lease
unlike the other leases is not renewable. It only ends. Means we have to vacate. Repairing
and upkeep has to be done till the expiry date and in a good condition it has to be given
back. So we should not meddle into it too much. In the waning years particularly, the
body takes too much time for all the activities. That is why it is very very important that
when the senses are under our control, the time should be seriously utilized in the
study of Srimad Bhagavatam or otherwise in our old age we will have nothing in hand.
The idea is that nothing belongs to us and that this body is on a temporary lease, should
settle the account of the body. The soul has no death. Our real existence is spiritual and
we do not end. The body ends and we should not lament for that. This bag is not to be
lamented for. The Lord makes it very clear in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita 2.30:

dehé nityam avadhyo ‘yaà dehe sarvasya bhärata


tasmät sarväëi bhütäni na tvaà çocitum arhasi

“O descendant of Bharata, he who dwells in the body can never be slain. Therefore
you need not grieve for any living being.”

The body is subject to the transformations of birth, growth, maintenance, expansion,


dwindling and death. These six transformations are for the body and not for the soul or
for those who are pursuing the spiritual activities. In this regard, Madhvacarya says:

ñaò vikäräù çarérasya na viñëos tad-gatasya


ca tad-adhénaà çaréraà ca jïätvä tan mamatäà tyajet

“Since the body is the external feature of the soul, the soul is not dependent on the
body; rather, the body is dependent on the soul. One who understands this truth
should not be very much anxious about the maintenance of his body.”

There is no possibility of maintaining the body permanently or eternally. Antavanta ime


dehä nityasyoktäh sharirinah. This is the statement of Bhagavad-Gita (2.18). The material
body is antavat (perishable), but the soul within the body is eternal (nityasyoktäh
sharirinah). This is the knowledge. That is why Bhagavad-Gita is so important. Bhagavad-
Gita is spoken from the transcendental throat of Krishna and hence it should be in our
throats. That is the place for it. Just a single verse from Bhagavad-Gita completely settles
the matter.
If the body does not belong to us, how can you claim some lady as your wife or some
living entity as your child? Hence Krishna orders ‘mamatäm vimunca’ and ‘abhimatim
tyajasva’. Give up the attachment. This is an order from the Lord. There is no ‘please’.
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That settles everything. It does not mean we can neglect the body or run away from
our responsibilities. We have to make our life regulated and natural so that whole
body is clean and healthy.

The whole material existence is temporary. Hence we have to become rasikas of


detachment and detachment is our nature. This detachment is developed by performing
sincere devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead Govinda.

Settlement of All Our Material Accounts - Part 4


This world is called, “mrtyu loka” because here everything is heading towards destruction.
That is the nature of the material world. Again and again we forget this fact. That is why
we have to remember one sloka from Srimad Bhagavatam. This sloka is so important
that Srila Vyasadeva has repeated it twice in Srimad Bhagavatam, where generally there
is no repetition of the same verse. This means that this has got some importance. It is
mentioned in the Fourth canto and also in the Tenth canto. Lord Siva prays to Lord
Krishna in Srimad Bhagavatam 4.24.66:

pramattam uccair iti kåtya-cintayä


pravåddha-lobhaà viñayeñu lälasam
tvam apramattaù sahasäbhipadyase
kñul-lelihäno ‘hir iväkhum antakaù

“My dear Lord, all living entities within this material world are mad after planning
for things, and they are always busy with a desire to do this or that. This is due to
uncontrollable greed. The greed for material enjoyment is always existing in the living
entity, but Your Lordship is always alert, and in due course of time You strike him,
just as a snake seizes a mouse and very easily swallows him.”

We are all crazy after so many things in the material world. Every year there are so
many new inventions. These are all completely mad (pramattam). In our childhood,
mathematics multiplication tables were in the tip of our tongue. Now for everything the
child requires the calculator. This is ado gati – madness. We all plan in loud voice –
uccair- ‘I will do like that, I will do like this’. There are so many plans. But we do not
plan that I will realize God and find out the solution for the repetition of this miserable
material life. Everybody is miserable here. There is no exception to this. Death is very
very painful but that day is surely going to come for everyone. Everything will be there
but we will become helpless and suffer immensely. We may not be able to see or speak,
but we can hear, because hearing is the first sense to come and the last sense to go. We
can hear that our own people are concerned about the location of all our so called
material assets. But we fail to recognize the inevitability of this situation. Yamaraja
once asked Maharaj Yudhishtira, “What is the most wonderful thing within this
world?” Maharaj Yudhishtira replied (Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.116):

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

ahany ahani bhütäni gacchantéha yamälayam


çeñäù sthävaram icchanti kim äçcaryam ataù param

“Hundreds and thousands of living entities meet death at every moment, but a foolish
living being nonetheless thinks himself deathless and does not prepare for death.
This is the most wonderful thing in this world.”

We are all entangled in this ignorance and to uproot this ignorance, Srimad Bhagavatam
is required. Our body is nourished by our breathing but Srimad Bhagavatam is more
important than breathing because it nourishes the soul. Hence utilize your time in
studying Srimad Bhagavatam.

We are all mad (pramattam) but Krishna is ever alert – apramattah. He is present in His
names. He is present with us whenever His names are chanted and so there is alertness.
Anything regarding the Lord is complete. He is svayam sampoorna. The Lord gradually
takes away the living entities (sahasäbhipadyase). Life and death are under the control
of the Lord.

Dhruva Maharaj’s brother Uttama was killed by the Yakshas and Dhruva started killing
the Yakshas. Svayambhuva Manu told Dhruva that the Yakshas did not kill your brother
nor did you kill the Yakshas. This is all done by the Lord. If we see Krishna in every
situation, then there is no pollution or contamination. We have to habituate ourselves
to see the hand of the Lord in everything. Whether good or bad, it happens because of
the mercy of the Lord. There are so many living entities living under the flyover zone in
Mumbai and they have the same two hands, legs and eyes, but we find that we are
situated in the economic comfort zone. He is very merciful to us and we have to thank
Him.

The body is continuously deteriorating and just like a hungry snake seizes a mouse and
swallows, we will be swallowed. We require guidance regarding how to live our life and
this guidance is given in our Vedic culture.

Settlement of All Our Material Accounts - Part 5

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.3 gives the guidance for our living:

jïäne prayäsam udapäsya namanta eva


jévanti san-mukharitäà bhavadéya-värtäm
sthäne sthitäù çruti-gatäà tanu-väì-manobhir
ye präyaço ‘jita jito ‘py asi tais tri-lokyäm

“Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw
away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind
offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their
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lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure
devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable
by anyone within the three worlds.”

Thus we should be engaged in our occupational duty according to our age and
qualification and all the time we have to hear the topics of Krishna. Then with whatever
time available, we should be engaged in the performance of devotional service with our
body, mind and words. If there is nobody preaching, just read the books. Do not depend
upon CDs and other electronic things. To read from the books is most essential. From the
book, direct knowledge enters into us unlike the electronic items and laptops. Our lap is
meant for seating our children and not for the laptop equipment. All of Srila Prabhupada’s
literature is there in the laptop and nothing is there in our brain. These electronic
equipments kill us. In the olden days books were not printed. They were all hand written.
There was no necessity of printers, labour, electricity. Everything was easy. We have
left the simple life. How much ever possible, we should make our life simple. We wear
only one kurta at a time. Why do we keep 10 kurtas?

For those who are following the Vedic culture, health is alright. Even if there is some
disease we have to tolerate. Something which has come, has to go. If we go to someone’s
place and nobody takes care of us, we will leave the place. In the same way, if we do not
entertain the sickness, it will automatically go away. Don’t take medicines immediately.
In olden days doctors were not part of the society. Life was very natural. Now every
family has a doctor. Unregulated life makes us sick. It is only through the mouth that
we can put something inside our body. Hence we should be very careful and controlled
regarding what we eat, and how much we eat. Then there will be no sickness. When
there is a disease, the first thing to be done is to shut your mouth. Fasting is the best
cure and 50% of the diseases are cured by fasting. If you are not hungry, do not eat.
There are two types of diseases. One type is something which can be cured and the other
is chronic disease which comes to take us away and hence cannot be cured. That which
can be cured gets cured even without medicines just like viral fever for which even the
doctors do not prescribe any medicine. That which comes to take us away cannot in any
way be cured with all the medicines. Thus we have to understand life and death. Before
that, controlling the mind is essential. The mind is flickering in nature. We have to hold
it by the ears and put it into Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita. When we are going
through the scriptures, death is also auspicious.

Time is the powerful weapon of the Lord. It controls everything and everybody.
Everything is working on a time scale. Hence do not be depressed and do not be afraid
of death. On the other hand, we should be prepared for death. While living, do things to
the best of your ability and take care of the dependents. To get rid of the fear of
death, we have to remember the following verse from Srimad Bhagavatam 8.2.33:

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yaù kaçcaneço balino ‘ntakoragät


pracaëòa-vegäd abhidhävato bhåçam
bhétaà prapannaà paripäti yad-bhayän
måtyuù pradhävaty araëaà tam émahi

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly not known to everyone, but He is


very powerful and influential. Therefore, although the serpent of eternal time, which
is fearful in force, endlessly chases everyone, ready to swallow him, if one who fears
this serpent seeks shelter of the Lord, the Lord gives him protection, for even death
runs away in fear of the Lord. I therefore surrender unto Him, the great and powerful
supreme authority who is the actual shelter of everyone.”

Every minute and every hour we are being chased by death. We are all flying by aeroplanes
and even if one screw is loose, we are lost. While driving the cars, we may drive carefully
but the other persons on the road may drive recklessly. As per the road laws, wearing
the seat belt is compulsory. Even if the car is burning, we cannot get out of the seat and
we have to die.

The only way is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whatever little
we do in devotional service is not lost and He saves us from the greatest danger. In
Bhagavad-Gita Krishna says in 2.13:

dehino ‘smin yathä dehe kaumäraà yauvanaà jarä


tathä dehäntara-präptir dhéras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to
old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not
bewildered by such a change.”

When we change from the child body to youth body, we do not cry. When the youth
becomes middle age, then also we do not cry. When old age comes, some crying is
there. When there is death we are crying because we are not prepared for this change.
The Supreme Lord being an expert manager, He arranges so many things and even then
He is free. We can see also that an expert manager delegates the things to be done and
he plays badminton. The Lord is our suhrt - the best well-wisher and His relationship is
from the heart. He is very merciful and we have to go to Him. All our riches have no
value in our old age and invalidity and we have to go to Him at such a time. During our
life we have to do our duties nicely, keep hearing Krishna-katha and do devotional
service. This way our life becomes perfect and successful. There are some people who
are misfits everywhere and those fortunate souls, Krishna takes them in His service.
Hence we should not immaturely renounce. So constant remembrance of the Lord is
the only way to close the account with death.”

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Settlement of All Our Material Accounts - Part 6

The material accounts have to be settled for good so that they do not peep into our
lives. Then only it becomes very easy to concentrate on spiritual matters. The next
important account to be settled is that of envy and we are all envious of each other.
Maharaj was referring to the four different types of envy which are mentioned in
Srimad Bhagavatam verses 3.32. 39- 42. They are referred in Sanskrit as ‘khala’,
‘dvesha,’ ‘asuya’ and ‘matsara’. They have different meanings but the same effect.
Maharaj was full of appreciation for H G Arta bandhu prabhu who had made a
reference of the different types of envy. We shall post herewith the speech by Maharaj
on each and every one of the four types of envy and the ways to settle their accounts
for good.

1. Khala:
In Srimad Bhagavatam 3.32.39 it is stated:

naitat khaläyopadiçen nävinétäya karhicit


na stabdhäya na bhinnäya naiva dharma-dhvajäya ca

“Lord Kapila continued: This instruction is not meant for the envious, for the agnostics
or for persons who are unclean in their behaviour. Nor is it for hypocrites or for
persons who are proud of material possessions.”

The above verse lists so many people to whom we should not really instruct. But there
is a verse which says:
krte yad dhyayato vishnum tretäyam yajato makhaih
dväpare paricaryäya kalau tad hari-kirtanät

“Whatever result one obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Vishnu, in Treta-yuga


by performing sacrifices and in Dvapara-yuga by serving the Lord’s lotus feet, one
can also obtain in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.”

So in Kali-yuga, Hari kirtana nullifies everything. This is the remedy. Again Srimad
Bhagavatam very beautifully says in 12.12.48

saìkértyamäno bhagavän anantah


shrutänubhävo vyasanam hi pumsäm
pravishya cittam vidhunoty ashesham
yathä tamo ‘rko ‘bhram iväti-vätah

“When people properly glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead or simply hear
about His power, the Lord personally enters their hearts and cleanses away every
trace of misfortune, just as the sun removes the darkness or as a powerful wind
drives away the cloud.”
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All misbehaviour and bad qualities vanish by Hari kirtanam and prasadam. That is
why these two are always recommended. In this verse ‘vidhunoti’ means thoroughly
cleansed. Envious attitude will also be thoroughly cleansed by kirtanam. In the olden
days there were machines to clear the cotton. From the roof they will hang the bow
and there will be a horse string attached to a wooden piece to vibrate the string.
When the string was vibrated, that vibration thoroughly cleansed the cotton in such
a manner that clean cotton will be on one side and all the dirt on the other side. This
was done early in the morning. Mornings are the best for spiritual activities as well as
for material activities.

By nature we are envious and with our body we have inherited this bad quality. How
to get rid of it is a big problem. We are carrying these big material accounts life after
life. If we are envious of others, we are entangled and we have to come back into the
complicated mesh of birth and death. The best way to get rid of this in Kali-yuga, is the
chanting of the holy names of the Lord. We have to come to Hari kirtana so that we can
be without khala. We find so many reasons to be envious. If somebody loses his job, he
is envious of a person who has job. If we are married, we are envious of a person who is
not married and vice versa, the poor are envious of the rich. Out of this khala we
unknowingly try to harm other and that is our nature, this nature has got to be eradicated.
Even the trace of envy has to be eradicated. It can only vanish if we digest the points of
Srimad Bhagavatam which always insist on the temporary, flickering nature of the material
possessions and the possessor also. And we have to follow the behaviour from Bhagavad-
Gita.

2. Dveña
In ‘khala’ and ‘dveña’, the tendency is the same, but the meaning is slightly different.
‘khala’ involves planning and ‘dveña’ is just envy. This ‘dveña’ creates discrepancy in
our blood circulation and this is its worst effect. We may use harsh speech or disrespect
the other person, but it harms us more than the person whom we are trying to harm.
Please never give into this dvesha and unfortunately it is our nature to be envious. So
how to get rid of it?

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita insists, ‘param drshtvä nivartate’ - we can cease from these
things by having a higher taste. We should try to see Krishna everywhere through
Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita. Then we may be successful. We have to be
on guard. Every hour and every minute, we are envious.

In order to get rid of dvesha we have to understand that the spiritual spark is
everywhere and we should not differentiate. Differentiation creates envy. Everybody
is ours and we are everybody’s. Don’t create sects. Minimise the divisions. It will
help us to conquer envy. Because of divisions, we are envious. Always it is very
essential to get rid of these things for our own healthy condition. Health is not the
goal of our existence. But it is the medium to try to understand the scriptures and
have a glimpse of the unknown region. Krishna consciousness is the common platform

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for everyone to be engaged in devotional service and hence do not create unnecessary
divisions again. Srila Prabhupada has given a very sane approach to the spiritual
matters. Otherwise we are really boiling and baking ourselves in divisions and we are
destroyed. Minimize the sects as much as possible. Everybody is Prabhupada’s and
and Prabhupada is everybody’s.

Discrimination gives rise to envy and it eventually has the effect on our health. Till we
are here, we have to be jolly, prasanna - very happy and try to achieve the common
platform and from there spring to the unknown region. Again there may be so much
misguidance but don’t fall prey to it. Fiery preaching must be there. Make yourself
comfortable and free to preach. Krishna has given riches. Enough is enough. Money is
never enough for us and we always want more. There must be some satiation point.
Please try to propagate Krishna consciousness and thus try to elevate yourself. The
more you preach, the more you will understand. When we try to explain something to
others, somehow or the other, Krishna gives the answers. When we speak about Krishna,
we are not speaking. Krishna is speaking. Let Krishna do His job through you. This is
the best use of intelligence. Everybody has the spark and hence do not think that you
are useless. Continue to study and Krishna will reciprocate. Lord Krishna says in
Bhagavad-Gita 10.10:

teñäà satata-yuktänäà bhajatäà préti-pürvakam


dadämi buddhi-yogaà taà yena mäm upayänti te

“To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding
by which they can come to Me.”

He also says in Bhagavat-Gita 9.29:

samo ‘haà sarva-bhüteñu na me dveñyo ‘sti na priyaù


ye bhajanti tu mäà bhaktyä mayi te teñu cäpy aham

“I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders
service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.”

He is equal in the sense that He supplies the necessities of life even to those who deny
His existence. He does discriminate to those who are His devotees.

Harinama can do wonders in getting rid of envy. Wherever we go, we must be doing
Harinam kirtanam and that is the best preaching. Krishna gives the idea and He only
develops the idea and we do not have to worry. Even then we have to worry now
because farming has completely stopped. Only 25 % farming is there. In farming also
hybrid and so many other things have come. Because we are blindly following the western
culture we are struggling. Now in India the villages are there but only the houses are
standing, there are no cows and no bullocks. No animals. Nothing at all. Really we

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have killed our culture. We have to do something. We have to buy 100 acres of land
and try to organise some community where electricity is also not allowed. Prabhupada
wanted us to go back 200 years. 100 years ago there was no scarcity of rain and
grain. Now we are importing wheat from America. Rivers hardly flow. Vegetation is
completely absent. Sand has vanished being used for construction and they are
manufacturing plastic sand. In the olden houses, unbaked bricks were used and it
was like an air conditioner. When it was hot outside it was cool inside and vice versa.
Automatic change was there.

We have to try to do something to go back to the Vedic civilization. Each one must have
a yatra wherever we are or Harinama should be there. If nobody is there, you take
kartals and do Harinama.

3. Asüya
Srimad Bhagavatam 3.32.41 states,

çraddadhänäya bhaktäya vinétäyänasüyave


bhüteñu kåta-maiträya çuçrüñäbhiratäya ca

“Instruction should be given to the faithful devotee who is respectful to the spiritual
master, non-envious, friendly to all kinds of living entities and eager to render service
with faith and sincerity.”

In the above verse, there is a reference to ‘asuya’. This is subtle envy. Somehow or
the other it is psychological as well as logical. We can see this in the relationship
between the mother–in-law and the daughter–in-law. The daughter-in-law comes
and possesses the son and the mother loses her son and she is affected and this is
psychological. It is logical because, now the money is given to the daughter-in-law
and the mother-in-law is completely out of the picture and this is difficult to tolerate.
The mother has raised her son and she has definite expectations from her son.
Daughter-in-law may not be from the same culture and she may not follow the same
traditions. She has her own fatherly way from the house she came from. Thus either
the mother-in-law or the daughter-in-law freaks out. Nothing is to be blamed for
this. The proper understanding is absent. The missing point is attraction to Krishna.
The house which has Krishna as the all-in-all will not be affected by these things
because they are very busy in serving Krishna. Now everybody has to work.
Installments and loans are there. This creates problems. Loan-free life must be there.
Flats are very costly. If you do not have money, please do not buy. As far as possible,
please avoid the loans. Simple life must be followed. To get rid of the perils of
advancement, simplicity is the answer. Laptop creates electricity on the lap and has
a very bad effect. Magnetic field is harmful. The artificial things in the name of fashion
should be completely rejected. It may be essential for a few living entities to carry on
with their work, but do not copy. Whatever is needed, we touch. Thoroughly inspect
the house and throw whatever is not needed. Half of the house is worth throwing. The

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more things you accumulate, it is the dust collecting centre. Get rid of the things,
particularly the papers. So much is thrust upon us. Try to be very simple and
immaculate. Minimize your needs. Simple life gives time for breathing and our health
will be alright. And we will go ahead with the main goal of eradication of birth, death,
old age and disease. This is the way we can get rid of asuya.

4. Matsara
Srimad Bhagavatam 3.32.42 states,

bahir-jäta-virägäya çänta-cittäya déyatäm


nirmatsaräya çucaye yasyähaà preyasäà priyaù

“This instruction should be imparted by the spiritual master to persons who have
taken the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be more dear than anything, who are
not envious of anyone, who are perfectly cleansed and who have developed detachment
for that which is outside the purview of Krishna consciousness.”

Of the four types of envy, khala, dveña and asüya are limited but matsara is a very
wide term. Matsara is like macchar (mosquito) which goes anywhere and bites. Macchar
is full of blood, even then it goes and bites something. This is our nature. The very
important clue to get rid of this matsara is given in Srimad Bhagavatam 4.8.34:

guëädhikän mudaà lipsed anukroçaà guëädhamät


maitréà samänäd anvicchen na täpair abhibhüyate

“Every man should act like this: when he meets a person more qualified than himself,
he should be very pleased; when he meets someone less qualified than himself, he
should be compassionate toward him; and when he meets someone equal to himself,
he should make friendship with him. In this way one is never affected by the threefold
miseries of this material world.”

This verse practically teaches us how we should behave with three kinds of living
entities.

gunädhikän mudam lipsed: A person may be more elevated than us in riches or


knowledge or whatever. They should be welcomed with real happiness. The material
way is to be envious. We hate the elevated ones. That is matsara. Please discard the
material way.
anukrosham gunädhamät: We should be merciful to those who are lower than us. The
material way is that we kick the lower ones.
maitréà samänät: Those who are equal to us, we should desire sincere friendship
with them. The material way is to compete with them.

The above is the key to get rid of the threefold miseries.

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We should behave always in such a way that the person whom we meet is also happy
and we are also happy. Prasannata will help us to have a longer and healthy life.
Otherwise in our own body we are having a bad time. As soon as we get rid of
matsara, there is no way that the diseases will affect us. Matsara is the sitting place of
diseases. Like macchar everywhere it is there without discrimination.

To conclude, the golden rule to get rid of envy is to stop sense gratification. We are
envious because we forget the end of this body. No way should we give place to
known envy. Unknown envy may be there. Otherwise envy forces us to talk nonsense.
Simple life and austere life will force us to have immunity against all these things. We
should always remember the word ‘bahir jäta virägäya - detachment for that which is
outside the purview of Krishna consciousness. We have to carve in our minds the
line ‘praviçya cittaà vidhunoty açeñaà’- the Lord personally enters their hearts and
cleanses away every trace of misfortune. We have so many inebrities and to get rid of
these, we take the japa mala and chant or read something. Don’t ignore these
permanent things. Material things do not require much time. Our waning years are
coming and our accounts of death and envy must be settled as soon as possible.
Always remember Srimad Bhagavatam 11.10.20:

ko ‘nv arthaù sukhayaty enaà kämo vä måtyur antike


äghätaà néyamänasya vadhyasyeva na tuñöi-daù

“Death is not at all pleasing, and since everyone is exactly like a condemned man
being led to the place of execution, what possible happiness can people derive from
material objects or the gratification they provide?”

We are going to drop down. Before we drop down, please have nice bhäva for Krishna
and have a glimpse of the unknown region. We can achieve this by our own seriousness.

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.


hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Pearls of Wisdom
The following is based on my notes taken from the instructions given by our most
merciful spiritual master, His Holiness Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj, at an evening
program in London, June 7, 2008.

Real-ization Vs Concoction
“We are all here by Srila Prabhupada’s mercy only. Unless we follow seriously we cannot
pass it on. What we often forget is this world is temporary and is very much changing.
That is REAL-isation.

calat cittam - Our mind is flickering, always. Unless it’s under the shelter of Krishna, it
is never steady.

calat vittam - Our wealth is flickering. Wealth is always under the Lord’s control. Inflation
always eats up the wealth.

caläcalam idam sarvam - We base all our behaviour on the concoctions and thus make
problems only.

Those who know, knows that Krishna is sarva kärana käranam. But we concoct. For
e.g., if someone did not invite me, immediately we concoct “Why I’m not invited? They
do not like me?” etc. As soon as we stop concocting, half of our lifetime is saved and we
can utilize it in Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.

Cleanliness Needed
Except for ourselves, we look at everyone else. For e.g. in the temple: “Why he’s not
doing this?” etc. This must be stopped. Atma (referring to H G Atmaprasad Prabhu who
wrote the rhymes – Maharaj Maharaj Please Hear Us) sings very nicely

If our room is clean, our mind is clean, and if our mind is clean, we can do anything.

So we must be clean. I always advice: In one hand the bead bag and another, the duster.
We claim cleanliness is next to Godliness, but that’s only lip service. As soon as someone
visits us, so much we have to clean. Because we’re not organized, we cannot do anything;
forget about bhakti.’

If our room is dirty, then so are we. And if we are dirty, we cannot be happy

We may have degrees etc. but our spiritual education is lacking. We want to educate
ourselves spiritually!

Cleanliness Discipline Education (spiritual) For God

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With these preliminary habits, we become ready for Bhagavad-Gita. Please keep small
Bhagavad-Gita with you and you’ll gain taste, and with this higher taste you’ll never be
attracted to the lower taste.

Please Remember
One thing we should remember is that We cannot remember Krishna, if Krishna doesn’t
remember us. We are here today because Krishna remembered us! Those who know
Bhagavad-Gita, but do not preach, will be proud of it. As soon as pride is there, we’ll
become envious. And the envy is manifested as anger. So the sequence is Pride, Envy
and Anger.

P-E-A. Peas, especially split peas; produces unnecessary air in the body, giving so much
pain. It is important that our body is in order, just basically. As long as there is unregulated
air in the body, we cannot concentrate on the Bhagavad-Gita. But don’t go to doctors –
they do not know anything! At least Ayurvedic doctors, they know about ginger etc.
But as far as possible, do not go to the doctor. Just try to find some solution; change
something, for e.g., the air you breathe, your habits – what’s needed. Please remember:
ägamäpäyino anityäs – that what has come, will eventually go away. Like you have come
here; we don’t need to throw you out, because eventually you will go away. We just
have to tolerate you while you’re here, that’s all. Please read our Granthraj – you’ll
benefit so much.

Determination Is Required
In Bhagavad Gita verse 7.28 Lord Krishna says

yeñäà tv anta-gataà päpaà janänäà puëya-karmaëäm


te dvandva-moha-nirmuktä bhajante mäà dåòha-vratäù

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful
actions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of delusion, and they
engage themselves in My service with determination.”

Three things mentioned here: Those people….

1) Whose sins are completely eradicated (anta-gatam päpam),


2) Who have acted piously in previous lives (punya-karmanäm), and
3) Who are free from the dualities of delusion (dvandva-moha-nirmuktä)

can engage themselves in serious devotional service to Krishna (bhajante mäm drdha-
vratäh). Often a verse’s conclusion is stated at the end. Yamaraja is not after those who
have done something in devotional service. How long does it take to remember these
verses? But we’re not serious about it. We’re not serious about leaving our body. (Maharaj
sings a Gujarati bhajana, saying that the sinful reactions stop us from remembering
Lord Krishna.) Medicine cannot eradicate sinful reactions – it aggravates it. But if we go

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to Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam we can become cured. “By-pass?” There is


no by-pass or “fly-over” for the body. There is no limit to our foolishness. Misery
captures our mind.

For those who have miserable inclination, more attentive chanting should be there.
We’re only miserable when we are weak in devotional service – so we should increase
the devotional service. Please don’t read anything else than Srila Prabhupada. You’ll be
misled. Everything is there in Srila Prabhupada’s translations and purports.

That is our position. We’re condemned to death, but the day is not decided. We always
think it will happen two years later. Intelligently we have to visualize this, and then we
can become determined to get out of this bodily concept. Like the sparrow’s
determination. The sea took her eggs. When asked, the sea didn’t give the eggs back, so
the bird told the sea: “Please return my eggs, or I’ll empty you”. With her small beak she
then began to pick out the water and put it on the beach. Garuda then came down and
made the ocean return the eggs.

How much determination Srila Prabhupada had, 40 rupees and all these temples.
Prabhupada said: “I didn’t waste my time. I always did something, and Lord Krishna
helped me.”

Very Simple
Devotional service is very simple: Simply chanting nicely. Why make it more difficult?
Get up for mangala-arati: (Maharaj sang another poem translating from Gujarati):

Give up sleeping,
Just remember Krishna and say
You are the one
You are the one

This is very simple instruction, nicely illustrated through a simple song. Our attachment
is creating so many horrible things, so please be spiritually detached and do this simple
way of devotional service.”

- Amoghadrk Krishna das, Denmark.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Initiation Promises
On the day of our spiritual initiation we mainly promise to chant minimum 16 rounds
of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and to follow the four regulative principles. On every
occasion of giving initiation, our beloved Guru Maharaj gives a wonderful explanation
of the meaning of initiation and it is really a treat to hear these initiation lectures and to
treasure them in our hearts. I was recently listening to the initiation lecture of our
beloved Guru Maharaj in Singapore (September 2008) and Maharaj gave the list of the
promises we are making and the conclusions we are arriving at by taking the spiritual
initiation. This is a subject matter we have to seriously ponder over, not only for the
newly initiated but also for those who have been initiated for long, to really get initiated
every day on these lines. I am listing herewith the promises and I shall try to share the
nectarean instructions on each of the following points given by Maharaj.

1. We promise to hear the voice of the Lord situated within our hearts.
2. We promise to try to realize the presence of consciousness everywhere.
3. We promise to stop being mad after sense gratification and become completely simple.
4. We promise not to exploit the other living entities but depend on our own self.
5. We promise to take a dip into the spiritual literature every day.
6. We promise to come to the right direction.
7. We promise to become ‘prasanna’ by coming to the ‘sat’ instead of ‘asat.’
8. We promise to recognize the supreme authority.
9. We promise to hand over this tradition to the younger generation.
10. We promise to understand that I am the only reason for my miseries.
11. We promise not to prolong the material matters unnecessarily.

These promises really make us understand our great and grave responsibility. Maharaj
concluded by saying that there are no supervisors appointed to check whether we are
following our promises. The Supersoul is always watching. He knows what we are doing.
If we don’t hear the Supersoul and correct ourselves, the miseries are waiting. It is for
our own good that we become nice.

With the blessings of our beloved Gurudev, I shall try to transcribe the lecture of Maharaj
on each of the above promises.

1. We promise to hear the voice of the Lord situated within our hearts:
“We are all in search of a guide all the time. From guide, the word, ‘guidance’ comes.
Every living entity young or old, is in need of guidance. The Supreme guide is the Lord
Himself. It is declared in the scriptures, ‘kåñëam vande jagadgurum’. He is already situated
in our hearts as caitya guru. But our lives, day by day are victimized by the Kali-yuga
forces. That is why we cannot hear His voice. From today we are promising in front of
the fire, the Lord Himself and Srila Prabhupada that we will hear that voice. The vibration
is always there. As soon as we perform some activity, He either favours you or discourages

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you. These two feelings are there already. We cannot catch Him by our senses. It is
said in Bhakti-rasämrita- sindhu 1.2.234.

ataù çré-kåñëa-nämädi na bhaved grähyam indriyaiù


sevonmukhe hi jihvädau svayam eva sphuraty adaù

“No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and
pastimes of Sri Krishna through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one
becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the
transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.”

Being part and parcel of Krishna, service or seva is our constitutional position. The
aàça has to always serve the aàçi. We are always serving. Either we are serving our
family, our kinsmen, society, our country or the whole planet.

2. We promise to try to realize the presence of consciousness everywhere:


We have to come to the position of feeling the presence of Supreme consciousness
which is equally distributed all over the material manifestation as well as the spiritual
manifestation and beyond. That supreme consciousness we are not conscious of. That
is our greatest defect. We have the soul but we cannot see. But the symptom of the soul
is there. There is consciousness all over the body. We have the experience that even if
somebody is touching us from the back, we can feel the touch. Every hair follicle has
the consciousness. We have seven crores of follicles and in each hair follicle we have the
consciousness. If somebody touches the hair also we know. To that extent, the
consciousness is flowing in our body. This is limited consciousness. I can only feel my
body. I can never feel the other bodies. But today we have come to the conclusion that
it is not only my consciousness, but everywhere there is consciousness. Everywhere,
everybody has consciousness - moving or non-moving. That is why we don’t mishandle
anything.

3. We promise to stop being mad after sense gratification and become completely
simple:
We have to minimize our necessities with the understanding that everything belongs to
Krishna. Isopanishad Mantra 1 declares,

éçäväsyam idam sarvaà yat kiïca jagatyäà jagat


tena tyaktena bhuïjéthä mä gådhaù kasya svid dhanam

“Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned
by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself,
which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing
well to whom they belong.”

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So some quota is reserved for us. So we have to use the minimum things. We don’t
touch otherwise. That is our understanding from our culture. In India, simplicity is our
monopoly but because of contact with the West, we are complicating our life and because
of these complications our consciousness is completely covered and polluted. With that
polluted consciousness, we try to exploit the resources. We think we are enjoying but
we are ourselves getting entangled into the complexities. We call the complex situation
as advancement. Today we become conscious of this that this is not advancement but
degradation and unlimited foolishness. Everything has a limit but our foolishness has
no limit. So we are promising today that we will stop being mad like this after sense
gratification. With our senses, which are perverted, however hard we try, we can never
enjoy. Even then we are blindly taking a dip in the fire like a moth which enters into the
fire till it dies. This moth tendency should completely stop and this can be done only by
being completely simple.

4. We promise not to exploit the other living entities but depend on our own self:
The greatest test from today is that our work must be done by us. Those who are getting
initiated or not getting initiated, must get initiated on this principle. We promise to do
our own work, if not everybody’s work. We should not depend upon anybody. Our
foolishness is that, for our own survival, we try to exploit others. We try to harm the
others like anything daily. The thing is I want to waste my time. So I can’t waste my
time, until I waste your time. I should have somebody. This we have to stop from today.
No wasting of your time and don’t waste other’s time. At least you do whatever you
want, but don’t waste other’s time. Leave the living entities alone. If you do not want to
exploit, then you have to wash your own clothes yourself, you have to cook and clean
yourself and that will give you a very healthy life. The needs have to be curtailed to the
minimum and we have to depend on our own self. This way we will definitely be
economical.

5. We promise to take a dip into the spiritual literature daily:


Because you are simple, and depend upon your own self, you will have plenty of time
and that time has got to be utilized for inquiring into the Absolute Truth. Only a seriously
inquisitive person can realize the Supreme Absolute Truth. Fortunately, you have so
much spiritual paraphernalia left by Srila Prabhupada. He has written, he has talked
and so many letters and conversations are available. We are really lucky to have such
vast spiritual paraphernalia. Why are we roaming here and there? There is no need of it.
This is the day we promise ourselves that daily I will take a dip into the spiritual literature.
There is nothing to be read in the ordinary literature. The newspapers are so thick, but
there is nothing to be read. Why do they print so many papers, cutting down so many
trees? Again there is one argument our mind will present before us. By me stopping
reading the newspaper, how much difference does it make? Everybody is reading, so by
that the forest will not be stopped from being cut. But don’t think like that. Srila
Prabhupada was also all alone in Vrindavana. He could also have thought like that. “I
am alone and if I am simple, what is going to happen? If I write Srimad Bhagavatam,
what difference it is going to make? There are so many Bhagavatams.” No. He didn’t

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think like that. He tried very sincerely. As we know, today, millions of devotees are
there. Without his mercy, how could the movement have spread like this? These things
have to be ingrained in our life style.

6. We promise to come to the right direction:


We are completely misguided and misdirected in organizing our lives. The civilization
is misdirected and Godless. This is the day we are promising ourselves, to add God to
our consciousness and thus come to the right direction. Instead of wasting time in false
pursuits, come to the right direction. We change our direction and that is what is wanted.
Srila Prabhupada said we are misdirected and correcting direction means that all the
excessive sense gratification is stopped. Everything will be within limits. The formula
for obtaining the mercy of the Lord is beautifully told by Him in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita.
2.64
räga-dveña-vimuktais tu viñayän indriyaiç caran
ätma-vaçyair vidheyätmä prasädam adhigacchati

“But a person free from all attachment and aversion and able to control his senses
through regulative principles of freedom can obtain the complete mercy of the Lord.”

This should be our guideline. Bhagavad-Gita is our guide. Don’t depend upon anybody.
They may mislead again. You go to Krishna directly through Prabhupada and you will
be self-sufficient, guided by Bhagavad-Gita.

7. We promise to become ‘prasanna’ by coming to the ‘sat’ instead of ‘asat’:


Once our senses are allowed to have only the minimum sense gratification, there is no
difficulty. Anything beyond limits makes our body sick. If we are within limits, then we
become prasannätma - fully joyful. ‘Prasanna’ is a word which comes from the
combination of two words, ‘prabhu’ and ‘sat.’ In the word ‘prasanna’, ‘pra’ means ‘prabhu’
or the Lord. Those living entities who run after Sri Krishna, their life is converted from
‘asat’ to ‘sat’. At the moment, our life is guided by ‘asat’ or temporary things. From ‘asat’
we are coming to the ‘sat’ or eternal things and that is the initiation day. So far, we were
completely ignorant of all the supreme values of human existence. Now we are coming
to the eternal values of human existence, with the witness of the Lord and our guru. We
are not running only after the ‘sat’. We don’t believe in only following the good habits.
With good habits, we are running very fast towards Krishna. That is our way. That is
brahma bhuta prasannätma. The effect of it is ‘na socati na känkshati’- no more lamentation
or hankering. Good or bad, everything is good for us. Everything is temporary. At the
most what is going to happen? So we run after the eternal values.

8. We promise to recognize the supreme authority:


Once we are running after the eternal values, spiritually, our goal of existence is to
recognize the Supreme Authority. As soon as we recognize authority, obedience comes.
The boss appoints you in the office means; you promise him that you will obey. As soon
as you accept the Supreme Authority, obedience is the other side of the coin. So we

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have to obey. Srila Prabhupada has condensed the whole sinful paraphernalia in four
regulative principles. That is why we are very particular about these four regulative
principles. Our sinful life stops from today. The more you follow very sincerely, the
more you will be very happy. Formerly, the sins were minimal as our profession was
farming. In farming there was no sin at all. Cows and bullocks were happy. Dung was
used as manure. Land had so much incentive to produce. Now because of sinful attitude,
the land has lost the incentive. So again to have the land to have the incentive, our
quality of life must improve. It is not a day’s job. It is life-long and beyond.

9. We promise to hand over this tradition to the younger generation:


We stop sinful life and we pass on this tradition to our younger generation. That is the
greatest responsibility. Follow seriously, and hand over as it is to the younger generation.
In turn, the younger generation will hand over to the youngest generation and non-stop
it goes on. These things are auspicious everywhere and beyond our imagination, they
do good. On the other hand, if we disobey, we are already miserable and more miseries
are waiting.

10. We promise to understand that I am the only reason for my miseries:


We are the reason for our miseries. That we have to understand today. That is ‘cakñur
unmélitaà’. Otherwise, always we are blaming others for our miseries. That is our
tendency. Today we learn that we made the mistake. As soon as you blame yourself,
you reduce all the troubles. Blaming others means counter blaming, and again enmity,
envy, everything will come. If you blame yourself, the matter ends there.

11. We promise not to prolong the material matters unnecessarily:


Material matters should never be prolonged. Never. Please as soon as possible, end the
material matters. Otherwise, they will consume the very vitality of human existence.
Don’t do that. That is a suicide. From today we are promising before Agni and Krishna,
that I will not prolong unnecessarily, foolishly, the material tiffs. Cut it short. We were
advised by our elders never to climb these two steps. One is the solicitor’s and the other
is the doctor’s.”

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Way Out of Fatigue
In the present civilization we find that the majority of the population are completely
fatigued in their endeavour to improve the so called standard of life and are full of
restlessness. Peace and refreshment are very rare to find and Srimad Bhagavatam in the
verse 4.26.11, describes this situation and Srila Prabhupada gives a brilliant purport to
this verse.

tataù kñut-tåö-pariçränto nivåtto gåham eyivän


kåta-snänocitähäraù saàviveça gata-klamaù

“After this, the King, very much fatigued, hungry and thirsty, returned to his royal
palace. After returning, he took a bath and had an appropriate dinner. Then he took
rest and thus became freed from all restlessness.”

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport:


‘‘A materialistic person works throughout the whole week very, very hard. He is always
asking, ‘Where is money? Where is money?’ Then, at the end of the week, he wants to retire
from these activities and go to some secluded place to rest. King Puranjana returned to his
home because he was very much fatigued from hunting animals in the forest. When a person
comes to his senses and understands how he is engaging in sinful activities, he returns to his
conscience, which is herein figuratively described as the palace. Generally a materialistic
person is infected by the material modes of passion and ignorance. The results of passion and
ignorance are lust and greed. In the life of a materialist, activity means working in lust and
greed. However, when he comes to his senses, he wants to retire. King Puranjana’s coming
home, taking bath and having an appropriate dinner indicate that a materialistic person
must retire from sinful activities and become purified by accepting a spiritual master and
hearing from him about the values of life. If one would do this, he would feel completely
refreshed, just as one feels after taking a bath. After receiving initiation from a bona fide
spiritual master, one must abandon all kinds of sinful activities, namely illicit sex, intoxication,
gambling and meat-eating.’’

Our beloved Guru Maharaj gave a very enlightening lecture on the above verse and it
practically gives us the way out of fatigue and mental anguish.

“The meaning of devotee is that we are devoted to the Supreme Absolute Truth.
Otherwise, if we are devoted to anything else, that will produce reactions and fatigue.
Sometimes when the aeroplanes crash, the reason is given that it is due to metal fatigue.
The metal gets tired of ferrying the passengers and it gives off. That fatigue is in us also.
Daily we are fatigued.

This is because we are carrying the material lump (body) and it is the nature of the
material lump to make us fatigued. Hence the process to get out of this given in Srimad
Bhagavatam 2.8.6:
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

dhautätmä puruñaù kåñëa päda-mülaà na muïcati


mukta-sarva-parikleçaù pänthaù sva-çaraëaà yathä

“A pure devotee of the Lord whose heart has once been cleansed by the process of
devotional service never relinquishes the lotus feet of Lord Krishna, for they fully
satisfy him, as a traveller is satisfied at home after a troubled journey.”

The Importance of the Cleansing Process:


When the soul completely gets rid of all the material hankerings, then ‘kåñëa päda mulam
na muncati’ - the soul never leaves the lotus feet of the Lord. So first we have to cleanse
our soul. The soul is so very tiny and it is bound to be covered by the irregularities. That
is why the Supersoul never leaves the soul. The Supersoul stays in our heart but is never
touched by our lust, greed or the lower modes.

Srila Prabhupada gives a very nice example for this. An iron-rod in the association of
fire becomes red hot and does not act as an iron rod but acts as fire. The iron rod does
not have the capacity of fire, but as soon as it associates with the fire, it becomes red hot
and till it is red hot, it will act as fire. But as soon as it gets cold, it loses its potency. This
is our position also. Every second of our existence, this cleansing process must go on. As
soon as this process is stopped, we are victimized by the lower modes, and then, once we are
victimized by the lower modes, the highly elevated living entities also, we are surprised
that how they can behave in this way. The root cause is that the cleansing process stops,
and this process should continue according to our conditions. Otherwise, as soon as
the association of the fire is not there, the iron rod comes back to being an iron rod.
That’s what happens to us also. That is why Srila Prabhupada has given us the daily
process of mangala arati, chanting, reading Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita. So
we must be doing these things on a daily basis without fail. We should not get tired of
these things.

We should be exhausted by the things which are not recommended by the Shastras. We
should be completely fed up with them. We should touch these things only to the
minimum extent required. This is practical. If we touch more than that, we are bound
to be consumed. We have to stay in our material life. We have the material body. So we
have our material necessities. To that extent we touch. It is very difficult to understand
this point. But we have so many innumerable desires, and we are just consumed, and
years and years and years are gone and then we are surprised that since last so many
years I am chanting and nothing is happening. We get fed up and again we go back to
the material conceptions and consumptions. We have to be patient regarding these
things.

We should not behave like the insect that falls into the lamp again and again till it is
burnt to death. This is our condition also. However hard we try to understand, so many
purports are there, so many instructions are there, but our life is very dirty inside. We
may try put on the garb of devotee. We are all situated in different age groups but age

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doesn’t matter. This is the only way. With all the materialistic tendencies, we should
set aside at least some time of the day to sit and seriously study and understand these
things.

The activities that do not require our attention, we think that they require our attention.
This is our foolishness. We are not needed at all for these activities and they just go on
– In Bhagavad Gita verse 3.27 Lord Krishna says

prakrteù kriyamänäni gunaiù karmäni sarvaçaù


ahankära vimudätmä kartäham iti manyate

“The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of
activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.”

Activities are going on according to the three modes of material nature. So many pilots
die, but the planes are going on. So many businessmen die, but the shops are not closed.
We are here and the activities go on and we are not here also, the activities will go on.
This is true regarding our family matters also. But we poke our nose and again and
again we are hit on the nose, but still we poke. This is because we are unaware of what
an immaculate manager Krishna is.

In the purport to Srimad Bhagavatam verse 4.26.11, Srila Prabhupada stresses the
importance of eating appropriate food as follows - The word ‘ucitähärah’ used in this
verse is important. Ucita means “appropriate.” One must eat appropriately and not take
after food as hogs take after stool. For a human being there are eatables described in Bhagavad-
Gita (17.8) as sättvika-ähära, or food in the mode of goodness. One should not indulge in
eating food in the modes of passion and ignorance. This is called ucitähära, or appropriate
eating. One who is always eating meat or drinking liquor, which is eating and drinking in
passion and ignorance, must give these things up so that his real consciousness may be
awakened. In this way one may become peaceful and refreshed. If one is restless or fatigued,
one cannot understand the science of God. “

We must understand the necessity of eating appropriate food. We are all under the
conception that “I am managing everything and everything is going on alright because of
me.” The first thing we have to recognise is that our own body is not under our control.
We eat prasadam and we do not know how it is digested. Once we put the food inside
our mouth, we do not know what is happening. Once we vomit the foodstuff, we know
how obnoxious the material is. We should be satisfied with the required eatables only
and that too regulated. Otherwise everything is going to be obnoxious in our body. If
we are not able to bear that stuff when we vomit, how can the body bear it? The body is
completely filthy. With filth, everything goes rotten and what can be the guarantee that
this body will continue with all the filth? This body is continuing only because of Krishna’s
mercy. Otherwise with all the filth inside, we cannot survive. Day in and day out we
are thinking that we are going to get up tomorrow.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

The way out of this is to reserve at least some time to seriously understand these
things. We may not be able to devote 24 hours, if you can devote, so far so better, but
if you can’t, at least sometime must be seriously utilised in this. We should always
remember the words of Srila Prabhupada that “Devotional service, which is based on
the foreground of full knowledge combined with detachment from material association
and which is fixed by the aural reception of the Vedänta-sruti, is the only perfect
method by which the seriously inquisitive student can realize the Absolute Truth”.
(Purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.12)

Here the foreground of knowledge is that irregular food habits cause all the diseases.
The foodstuff which we relished, we are not able to taste it back when it is vomited. Can
anybody claim, ‘I am a King. My food will not be obnoxious’? Without exception this is
the truth. Why can’t we develop the transcendental intelligence and think about
these things? We take it for granted that we are going to survive. Not a single second
we can survive without His mercy. The things which are going on inside our body are
inconceivable. In that again, production of by-products is going on, dwindling is going
on, growth is going on. This is all beyond our control. Our own existence is beyond our
control. How can we control other living entities existence? Still we try to Lord it over.
However we may love our children, children have to eat, and they have to have the
filthy material inside. As soon as Krishna wants to withdraw the soul, they die. The
filthy material is the cause of our death. We only survive, till He sanctions it. We can’t
avoid Him. That is the point. Completely unexpectedly this body will have to leave and
this is certain. As soon as we come to this knowledge, it gives us the impetus to go to
Krishna who is completely transcendental.

Then we have to come to the understanding that we are nourished only by devotional
service. There is no need of too much of food. Little here and there is enough. Because
we fail to recognise the fact that we are always completely nourished by devotional
service, we depend upon so many other things for our nourishment. Because we are
nourished it is called ‘poñaëa’ or ‘puñöi’. The Vallabha sampradäya is called ‘pushti marga’.
This is because they know definitely that they are getting nourishment from Krishna
and to that extent they are effulgent. As soon as we know this, we have to go to Him to
keep our whole body in order. That goes without saying. That is why it is very essential
that the curative process in the body must never be stopped. We eat hard food and it
must be causing scratches in the food pipe or intestine and all this is being repaired
automatically. The repairing work is always going on and they are never in order. They
can only be in order, if our attention is diverted from intestine to Krishna. Otherwise we
have to go through the stomach operations. We have to change to food in the mode of
goodness and that is ‘ucitähära’. In mode of goodness also we have to worry about
our stomach. The stomach is only six inches and we can’t stretch it to make it three
feet. Food may be free but stomach is ours. That we forget.

Hence we have to think about these things and meditate on them. We must know the
instrument we are carrying and the importance of devotional service to keep it in

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Way Out of Fatigue

perfect order. Our lack of awareness of these things is the reason for our fatigue.
Apart from this, again and again we are playing with our mind and body to follow the
obnoxious path. We are in the mode of ignorance and too much hankering is going
on. Then so many illicit ideas are going on. Unless we are really attached to Krishna
these ideas will not go away. And these ideas will alone kill us. That we do not know.
This is the foreground of knowledge. Everywhere Krishna is a must. But we brush
Him aside. And feel ‘I am must’. Please hand over these things to Him and He will
immaculately manage. Depending fully upon Krishna is really worthwhile and only
the very rare living entities will do it. Everywhere we are thinking I am prominent.
We are nothing really.

Maharaj was insisting that all our habits must be free from the modes of passion and
ignorance. Srimad Bhagavatam states in 1.2.19:

tadä rajas-tamo-bhäväù käma-lobhädayaç ca ye


ceta etair anäviddhaà sthitaà sattve prasédati

“As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature’s
modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering, disappear from
the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely
happy.”

The lower modes result in lust and greed. Greed and pride are very subtle and they will
cling on anywhere. We should be very particular to get rid of greed. Greed must be
shredded all the time. Greed destroys us. If we are not greedy, we may actually get
more. This is an important and fine point for our practical life and everything should be
practically made possible. Otherwise these pages have no meaning. We read again and
again the same things, but even then it does not sink into our minds.

We may be able to stop the gross activities but the subtle mind is working. Mind is the
reservoir of different ideas and hankerings of millions of lifetimes. Because our devotional
service was not complete, we had to take the subtle body with us. So mind is our constant
companion and again ego is there and that spoils the whole thing. We should try to get
rid of the bad tendencies and this is the necessity of the present chaos. Day-by-day
chaos is increasing. So we should be able to digest these things and present it according
to time and circumstances. That is what initiation means.

Srimad Bhagavatam very wonderfully describes how we should initiate ourselves everyday
in this process in 1.2.3;

yaù svänubhävam akhila-çruti-säram ekam


adhyätma-dépam atititérñatäà tamo ‘ndham
saàsäriëäà karuëayäha puräëa-guhyaà
taà vyäsa-sünum upayämi guruà munénäm

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

“Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto him [Suka], the spiritual master of all
sages, the son of Vyäsadeva, who, out of his great compassion for those gross
materialists who struggle to cross over the darkest regions of material existence,
spoke this most confidential supplement to the cream of Vedic knowledge, after having
personally assimilated it by experience.”

The above is our daily initiation. Sva-anubhavam means our own experience. Everybody
is full of experiences. Then we have shruti säram i.e we have the essence of all the
scriptures. We have thousands of magazines in the modern civilization and they are all
contaminated because reality is absent. With the combination of our own experience
and the scriptural essence, there is adhyätma deepam - the transcendental lamp of
knowledge is rekindled in our hearts. As soon as the lamp is rekindled, there is atititirñatäm
tamondham - we can easily cross over the blinded darkness of ignorance. Then we have
to compassionately speak out this knowledge for the benefit of all the materialistic people
suffering repeated births and deaths here (samsärinäm karunaya äha). Srimad Bhagavatam
gives us the information to get out of this material rut. Our own constitutional position
is the best. The child is naturally very happy with the mother.

Our contamination is because of the lower modes and we will be completely pure once
we get out of the modes. We have to think about these things again and again and
Krishna helps us to get out of the contamination. Then all mental anguish and fatigue
goes away. Because of contamination, anguish is there. Otherwise there is no fatigue or
anguish. We have to take bath in Srimad Bhagavatam. Dirty body can be cleansed by
water. Dirty consciousness cannot be cleansed by water. So wash your consciousness
always. Nourish your eagerness that in this lifetime, today only we should be liberated.
That is how we should be eager. Try to spend as much time as possible with Srimad
Bhagavatam, Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and Caitanya Caritamrita.

Srila Prabhupada has given us everything in toto and if we lose touch with his literature,
we are doomed. With fixed and one pointed intelligence we have to go to him and there
is no necessity of any other literature. To that extent we should be fanatical about him.
Any time we feel low, we just have to open a small book by Srila Prabhupada and we
become completely free from all fatigue and anguish and we feel peaceful and refreshed.”

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

128
The Meaning of Initiation
The day of spiritual initiation is a very important day in all our lives. Initiation is
actually a second birth for the human beings. In this second birth, the spiritual master
is our father and the scriptures are our mother. It is a very auspicious and memorable
occasion in our lives. We are all born in the darkness of ignorance and on the day of
initiation we are taking a second birth in the mode of goodness.

The philosophical points from our scriptures are regarded as universal because it is
applicable and good for everyone. That is why Srila Prabhupada unknowingly attracted
all kinds of people whoever they may be. Religions are manmade divisions but essentially
every living entity is the same, being part and parcel of Krishna, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. This important and essential fact of our relationship with
the Supreme Lord is recognized on the day of initiation.

Our beloved Guru Maharaj makes the day all the more important by his incomparable
initiation lectures which are cherished by one and all. He opens our heart to very sublime
meanings of initiation and thus completely uplifts us and changes the whole vision for
good. I was listening to the initiation lecture given by Maharaj in December 2008 in
Rajkot and I would like to share with you all the wonderful meanings of initiation
expounded by our beloved Guru Maharaj.

1. Initiation means we change our pursuit from the worst to the best
“The Supreme Lord Krishna declares in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita 15.7:

mamaiväàço jéva-loke jéva-bhütaù sanätanaù


manaù-ñañöhänéndriyäëi prakåti-sthäni karñati

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to
conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the
mind.”

So this is our situation. Here we are all struggling and nobody can deny this. We have to
come out of this struggle. We are all essentially spirit souls. But we are running after our
body, which is a silly pursuit. However you try to keep this body alright, it is never
alright. It is all stool and urine. How long can you tolerate stool and urine? How much
bad smell we have? If you enter the toilet which is not clean, we cannot smell. How can
you tolerate this filth for the whole of life time? We do not have any happiness in the
body. The best thing we can do is to recognize our own spiritual identity and get in
touch with the supreme spiritual whole. That is the main thing.

To get in touch with the Supreme living entity is so very essential and because it is
very much essential for our survival, it has been made very easy by the internal
potency of Krishna. The things which are connected to the internal potency of Krishna,
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

they are the best. The things which are connected to the external potency of Krishna,
they are the worst. And the worst we are following. The best we are ignoring. This
should never happen. Initiation means you change your pursuit from the worst to the
best. Again and again and again and again we have the experience that material
pursuit is not our position. We are just carrying on but things can be palatable only
if there is connection with the spirit. That is especially said in the second seed verse
in Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.34:

åte ‘rthaà yat pratéyeta na pratéyeta cätmani


tad vidyäd ätmano mäyäà yathäbhäso yathä tamaù

“O Brahma, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no


reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness.”

Illusory energy or maya means that which is not connected to Krishna and that is the
definition of illusory energy.

2. Initiation means the revival process of our relationship with the Supreme
We are all spirit souls and at the moment it is forgotten. This forgotten relationship has
got to be revived. It is already there. The revival process is known as initiation. Please
understand this and this is the only point. Otherwise we are alright. Now from today,
we know that we are connected to the supreme whole. And that relationship has got to
be re-established so that we completely forget the temporary existence of the body and
give priority to the spiritual matters. This is initiation.

3. Initiation means to recognize our own death


Death is like a snake. The snake bites and you are finished. This snake in the form of
death has a ‘pracanda vega’. Very great speed. With very great speed it is chasing us. Day
and night, every hour and every second. Death is bound to come for everyone without
exception and that is why we say ‘as-sure-as death’. To recognize mrtyu or death is
initiation. Those who recognize their own death, they go on the right path. They are
magnanimous like Krishna. Because we see that this is all temporary. So we do not have
any reservations in our behaviour. Those who are completely ignorant about these
matters, they are fool number one. They try to have their own interest or whatever. We
do not have any separate interest because we cannot take with us anything. To understand
this is initiation. To some extent we have to have our own quota to maintain ourselves,
but apart from that we don’t have any excess.

4. Initiation means renunciation of bad things and activities


We do not smoke, we do not drink and we do not eat nonsensical things. This
renunciation is our initiation. We have saved ourselves from all the bad language. This
is the most important renunciation. In this compound, there is no bad language. That is
why it is very peaceful. You go out and it is all disturbance. The bad vibrations are
absent here. From today we should not even think bad. Bad thinking destroys us. Our

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The Meaning of Initiation

face reveals our heart. The face is the mirror of the heart. Whatever is going on in the
heart, it comes out on the face. Please, the innocent life is the best life in this world.

5. Initiation means we stop killing ourselves


Worry free life is the best life. Otherwise we are killing ourselves. From today we
should stop killing ourselves. Why to kill ourselves? I do not know. Just come to this
side and nice cultivation is there. Temples are there or your own house is a temple. That
is the best way to pass our life.

6. Initiation means learning what should be done at the time of death


We should try to recognize that death is chasing us every hour and every moment.
Abhidhävato bhrsham. Nobody can avoid. Everybody has to agree. If this chasing is
there, what happens? We are afraid – bheetam. Then what should we do? Once in a
hospital, an old woman was dying and she asked the nurse ‘I am dying now. What should
I do now?’ The nurse could not answer the old woman. Eventually the nurse got the
reply from Prabhupada’s literature and she joined the temple and now she is a nice
devotee. We do not know our position. Death is coming and what should we do? To
answer these questions, you read Srila Prabhupada’s book ‘Beyond Birth and Death’.
The answer is there as to what a dying man should do. Please learn these things and that
is initiation. A small book of Srila Prabhupada will also correct you. Whenever you have
time please read. That is the easiest way.

7. Initiation means we fully depend upon Him


We are always afraid (bheetam) and we require shelter. The firm shelter is Krishna.

vasudeva-sutaà devaà kaàsa-cäëüra-mardanam


devaké paramänandaà kåñëaà vande jagat-gurum

From Him the Guru starts and the same message is imparted ‘as it is’. The message is the
same. The bodies may change. This is known as parampara. Everybody is afraid without
exception for the life and death and many times we have so many fears - “I’ll lose my
job, I may be driven out of my country, some chronic sickness may attack me, I will be
sick, or my father will be sick or my wife will be sick or children will not be alright.”
So many worries. These worries from today have no place. The initiation is - we fully
depend upon Him. As it is we have to depend. Whether we depend or not, we are
depending. So better consciously depend upon Him. This is the secret of the existence
and if we depend upon Him, there is no struggle. Otherwise it is hard struggle for
existence. Our existence depends upon Him. This is initiation. From today there is no
worry. ‘brahma bhuta prasannätma’ .

What stops you from talking good? Who is stopping you from smiling? If you smile
and others smile, both increase the red blood cells. If you are morose, others are
morose. We do not want that. We want red cells. Anyway we are not doing anything.
At the best we are like a dog under the bullock cart. The dog is thinking that it is

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

pulling the cart and seems to be very busy. We are not doing anything. We should
understand this.

8. Initiation means surrender


In Srimad Bhagavatam 8.2.33 Sri Gajendra prays,

yaù kaçcaneço balino ‘ntakoragät


pracaëòa-vegäd abhidhävato bhåçam
bhétaà prapannaà paripäti yad-bhayän
måtyuù pradhävaty araëaà tam émahi

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly not known to everyone, but He is


very powerful and influential. Therefore, although the serpent of eternal time, which
is fearful in force, endlessly chases everyone, ready to swallow him, if one who fears
this serpent seeks shelter of the Lord, the Lord gives him protection, for even death
runs away in fear of the Lord. I therefore surrender unto Him, the great and powerful
supreme authority who is the actual shelter of everyone.”

We are all afraid of the situations of life and this is ‘bhétaà’. Those who are afraid, they
surrender – prapannam. Srimad Bhagavatam is so nice that in just two words ‘bhétaà’
and ‘prapannam’ the whole instruction is given. It is an ‘order’ to surrender. Krishna
doesn’t say, ‘please you surrender’. It is an order. As soon as we surrender, there is
‘paripäti’- He protects. He is ready to protect but surrender has got to be there and that
is initiation. So far we do not know how to surrender. We are very egoistic. We are all
carrying only stool and urine. You may carry 5 kg and I may carry 25 kg. It doesn’t
matter. The more you have, the more dirty you are. Why are we then proud? We are so
proud of our material body, our material possessions, my wife, my children, my father,
my father in law, my grand uncle so on and so forth. With the whole paraphernalia we
cannot do anything.

We do not know that because Krishna is kind, everything is going on alright.


Otherwise, within a second, Krishna can finish us off. We see so many things happening
in front of us. We have to keep our eyes open and these practical things will force us
to surrender. He is ‘aranam’- He is worth taking shelter. He is the only ‘çaraëyaà’ to
whom we can surrender. No body else. If somebody guides us to Him, he is our guru.
Somehow or the other, you should surrender and guide everybody to surrender.
Saint like Srila Prabhupada is with us. Forget about our own qualifications. sarvopädhi
vinirmuktam. We are thinking I am doctor, I am engineer, I am rich and so on. Money
just inflates you. Just like a rubber doll stays afloat as long as it is inflated with air. I
am talking and moving because of air. As soon as the air is gone, nothing is there.
How long can we be egoistic about the inflated position? The day is bound to come
when we will be lying flat. Daily He is chasing us. How long we live depends upon His
wish. He has to just order the breath to stop. That’s it. He has to just order the mucus
in our body to choke our throat. It is so easy for him. Mucus is water and water is His

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The Meaning of Initiation

energy. Energetic can immediately withdraw the energy. The best way to save
ourselves is to chant

Hare Kåñëa Hare Kåñëa Kåñëa Kåñëa Hare Hare


Hare Räma Hare Räma Räma Räma Hare Hare

There is no other way, no other way and no other way. There is no expense and only
sincerity is required. We are protected from the fear because even death is afraid of Him
and runs away. Thinking that we are going to die, we are so fearful. Why should we die
before we die? We are moaning and crying because we are not chanting. Please take
shelter of Harinäm and you will be completely safe. Srimad Bhagavatam guarantees in
1.1.14:

äpannaù saàsåtià ghoräà yan-näma vivaço gåëan


tataù sadyo vimucyeta yad bibheti svayaà bhayam

“Living beings who are entangled in the complicated meshes of birth and death can
be freed immediately by even unconsciously chanting the holy name of Krishna, which
is feared by fear personified.”

The best example is that of Ajamila. At 80 years of age, he had a small son. The lust
never decreases and lust will only decrease with the idea of death. Those who clearly see
their last day on the death bed, they can never be lusty. Our eyes should be under our
control. This is the only window through which the sins go in. Eyes are very bad nasty
windows. That is why we train ourselves to always see Krishna. Don’t open the eyes
fully. Keep it half open to see the path like Sukhadev Goswami because we are his
followers.

We have taken shelter of Harinäm and we are not afraid at all. What is there to be afraid
of? If we are alive, so many things will come. If you are dead nothing is there. Respect
this life and everything will be arranged according to Krishna’s desires. Take firm shelter
of Krishna by remembering the verse 8.2.33 in Srimad Bhagavatam. The end is to take
shelter of Him through His names. Name is non-different from Him. Anytime anywhere
you can chant. Don’t put conditions on your devotional service that you have to go to
Vrindavan to chant. Wherever you are, you chant and that place becomes Vrindavan.
Don’t put conditions. Make devotional service easy for everybody. Wherever you are,
just take japa mala and chant and you are protected by Krishna. Be sure about Him and
be guided by Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita. Follow the Vedic culture and
respect the elders and take care of the elders and the children. We have the jewel in our
hand. So do not run after the glass pieces and that is initiation.”

H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj ki jai! Srila Prabhupada ki jai!

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Let us take shelter of our exalted spiritual master by offering the following prayer at
his lotus feet.
mandasmita mukhämbhojam mahanéya guëärëavam
madhura bhäñinam çäntam sarva-bhüta- dayä-param

sadä kåñëa rasäviñöah paramänanda vigraham


çrémad-bhägavata magna hådayaà çré gurum tam natosmyaham

“I offer my humble obeisances at the lotus feet of my beloved Spiritual Master, who has
a smiling lotus like face, is the ocean of all great and exalted qualities, whose words are
very sweet, who is always peaceful, who is full of mercy for all the living entities, who is
always fully absorbed in Krishna consciousness, is an embodiment of Supreme bliss, and
whose heart is always immersed in the nectar of Srimad Bhagavatam.”

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

134
Sri Krishna Sharanam
We were fortunate to be in Rajkot for the Ratha Yatra in January 2009. On the day of
initiation, our beloved Guru Maharaj soulfully sang the following beautiful verse and
gave very practical explanation for the same. I am sharing herewith some of the nectar
from the discourse given by Maharaj.

çré kåñëa çaraëaà samasta jagatäm kåñëam vinä kä gatih


kåñëena pratihanyate kali malam kåñëäya käryam namah
kåñëät trasyati käla bhéma bujago kåñëasya sarvam vaçet
kåñëe bhaktir akhanditä bhavatume bho kåñëa tvam eva äçrayaù

1.Çré kåñëa çaraëaà samasta jagatäm:


“Krishna is the only supreme truth to whom we can surrender. This is completely
stamped. It is decided for us that Krishna is the only one who can give some benediction
to us. In the whole of the material and spiritual manifestation, He is the only supreme
autocrat. We have to surrender to Him. Jagat is not Prthvi. Prthvi is our earthly planet.
Jagat means whole of universe or whole of manifestation. There is nobody else to whom we
can surrender. Except Him there is no other person whom we can fully surrender. That
is why He is known as Supreme Absolute Truth. na tat-samas cäbhyadhikas ca drsyate.
Nobody can be equal to Him. Then who can be greater than Him? This is the definition
of Krishna. Once you understand this, your feeling is aroused. The feeling is required.
Go to Krishna and sing lovingly and feelingly.

2. Kåñëam vinä kä gatih:


There is no other way. He is the only one. Eventually you have to come here. If you
don’t come in this life may be life after this life or after that. Anyway, we have to come
to Him. Otherwise termination is not there. We take comfort from the fact that after
this life we will do. But we have to understand that in between this life and next life
there is 8,400,000 species of life. How many species you have to undergo? We should
be very clear about these things. Only one quality in our life will force us to have
unflinching faith in Krishna. That is straightforwardness. No contamination. How will
you prove that you are not contaminated? We are all addicted to mobiles. Mobile is
dearer than food. Those who are straightforward, when the phone rings, without seeing
the number, they will push the button and answer. Because of our contamination attitude
we are afraid. Anybody who is ringing he is spending money to call you. Without any
discrimination we should receive the calls. Many things are there in which we are not
straight forward. Particularly money matters. We should be very very clean. Really if
you want to have less contamination, don’t touch other’s money and if we touch we should
be very extra clean about it. Otherwise better not to touch other’s money. Even a farthing
goes of others money they will become your enemy. Don’t try to grab. As soon as you
control this grabbing tendency the root of quarrel disappears. There are three causes for
quarrel - Wealth, Land and Women. All this will vanish as soon as you give up this
grabbing tendency. These things have to be ingrained in our nature from today at least.
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

We should try very hard to practise these things or otherwise initiation will be only
in name and there is no change in behaviour. If Krishna has given something, give to
others whatever is possible. Don’t grab others money. We may not give but don’t take.
If you don’t have anything, take a teaspoon of sugar and put it to the ants. That is food
distribution. If you want to give more then distribute prasadam, give some grains to the
pigeon or grass to the cows. According to our capacity we should try to give or if we are
not able to give, please ask excuse from the Lord that I am not in a position to give and
I will definitely give once You give me. Promise before Lord that you will not grab.

The effect of sober attitude - not grabbing wealth, women and land and straightforward
behaviour gives you unflinching faith in chanting the names of Krishna. Because we are
peaceful, our mind is not agitated to grab this or that. We want minimum things but
we do not run after it. It gives a peaceful nature and chanting is the best with peaceful
nature. Those who have crossed the age limit, please increase the chanting and decrease
the material requirements. The four regulative principles are the main sign of our society
so far luckily. We do not have illicit connections. We do not run after gambling. Our
food is not that much contaminated. Intoxication is absent. If something is still remaining
it is the sign of not being sober. Srila Prabhupada has condensed the whole thing,
particularly the process of being sober into these 5 things - that you chant 16 rounds
and follow the 4 regulative principles. We people already follow them. Please try to
include sobriety to that so that our attitude will be mature. This is the main thing we
should understand.

3. Kåñëena pratihanyate kali malam:


Krishna’s nature is described. The contamination of Kali-yuga can be destroyed only by
Krishna. Nobody else. Otherwise we are all contaminated. The age effect is there.
Prabhupada is already there in our lives but still our sinful attitudes are also there. So
don’t be surprised, why a devotee is behaving like this. Kali-yuga peeps out. Try to get
rid of Kali-yuga constantly. That is only possible if Krishna’s association with you is
unbroken. As I told you, we don’t keep any dirt in our mind. So we don’t presuppose
about any living entity. Everything is changing. Once he may behave in some way. Next
time he may change. We should be very normal and innocent in our behaviour with the
living entities. We should be genuinely happy to see the living entities. The Kali-yuga
tendencies are so powerful that one thing is very very obvious. We don’t want the living
entities and we criticize them or kill them or do them harm. For removing this, bhakti
to the names has got to be there. It is said in Srimad Bhagavatam 5.18.12.

yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä


sarvair guëais tatra samäsate suräù

“All good qualities are assembled in the persons, who have unflinching faith in the
devotional service of the Lord and once they are out of contamination everything
regarding Him, becomes auspicious for us.”

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Sri Krishna Sharanam

4. Kåñëäya käryam namah:


We bow down to His leela also. So many times we have heard about Sudama but even
now we feel like hearing. So many times we have read about Prahlada Maharaj but even
today whenever we start we feel fresh. His miracles or those of His devotees puts us on
the right path of thinking. So many instances are there. Prabhupada’s miracles are in
front of our eyes. He started with forty rupees and today that forty rupees are there and
so many other manifestations are there. We may go anywhere but do not forsake
Prabhupada. We are free to go and hear but we cannot find a sincere bhakta like
Prabhupada to explain everything thoroughly. Unnecessary clashes should not be created
in our mind. So don’t follow these things. Be on your guard that you are always with
Krishna.

5. Kåñëät trasyati käl bhéma bujago:


Even death personified is afraid of Krishna. I mean to say death is bound to be there. It
is not that He will not take your body but death of soul is not there. And with continuation
of the soul, all the spiritual matters will be continued. Soul is spiritual. So this bhakti we
do will be continued. It will never end. Whatever we have read from Bhagavatam will be
continued. It will never end. Who knows? Again if we have to come back as a sinful
living entity we will have some association somewhere. It is Krishna’s arrangement. The
fortune in this existence is that a real saint like Prabhupada came in front of us. Like
Lord Jagannath ratha yatra, he went all the way to America. Jagannath was only pulled
from Kurukshetra to Vrindavan. But Prabhupada was pulled from Vrindavan to New
York. Real ratha yatra.

6. Kåñëasya sarvam vaçet:


Everything is under the full control of Lord Krishna. We are all like wooden dolls under
the complete control of the puppet master. The remembrance of this purifies our
intelligence.

7 & 8. Kåñëe bhaktir akhanditä bhavatume bho Kåñëa tvam eva äshrayah:
We pray that we may have uninterrupted bhakti at the lotus feet of Lord Krishna and He
is our only shelter.”

- Sajjanapriya Krishna das, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

137
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Real Purpose of Initiation


We are very glad to write in this transcendental forum “Granthraj” as new members.
To start with, we would like to inform that we were born again on February 29th
2008 after seeing our beloved Guru Maharaj who has brought us out of ignorance.
As we are fortunate enough to see Maharaj, we thank Lord Krishna for bestowing
upon us this benediction. Mercy of Lord Krishna can be understood only with the
help of Guru Maharaj, and so we have to surrender unto him. Our obeisances unto
the lotus feet of our spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Gosvami Maharaj. With his
boundless mercy we have been initiated as Ananda Murti Krishna das and Savita devi
dasi. We would like to share Maharaj’s lecture on the day of initiation (March 2nd
2008) with you all.

Maharaj said, “The word ‘initiation’ has the root ‘initial’. Initial means initial stage.
Spiritual life has got many initial stages. Initial stage means we have to be humble. In
our life we should always remain humble. That is the meaning of initiation. First of all
Srimad Bhagavatam 1.17.38 should be clear in our mind.

süta uväca
abhyarthitas tadä tasmai sthänäni kalaye dadau
dyütaà pänaà striyaù sünä yaträdharmaç catur-vidhaù

Suta Gosvami said: “Maharaja Parikshit, thus being petitioned by the personality of
Kali, gave him permission to reside in places where gambling, drinking, prostitution
and animal slaughter were performed.”

Kali-yuga started 5000 years ago and as soon as Krishna decided to leave this planet,
things started deteriorating. But with Krishna’s presence nothing can deteriorate. So we
should make sincere attempts to attach ourselves to the path of Krishna and detach
ourselves from our body. Our body is an “akshaya patra” filled with urine and stool. We
cannot be comfortable in this body. Understanding this is the beginning of detachment.
Whatever we eat is converted into stool. This is reality. Our aim is to chant the holy
name of the Lord constantly (kirtaniya sadä harih) without any pride and ready to offer
all respect to others (amänina mänadena). One should not be too much attached to
one’s own body but at the same time care must be taken since it is the instrument for
living. When one understands detachment then that is called initiation.

Detachment doesn’t mean that we must ignore our body and leave it to be shabby.
Cleanliness is very important. Cleanliness is Godliness. We should keep ourselves and
the surrounding clean. But for this, we should increase our physical labor in the house
by doing all our household work ourselves instead of depending on machines. This is
called initiation.

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Real Purpose of Initiation

We are all in the comfort zone, so we should use it nicely in spiritual activities to
recognize Krishna. We cannot get rid of technologies but reduce it. Lead a simple life.
This is called initiation.

Tolerance is important. Don’t curse any situation. Don’t destroy smiles. If the attitude
is good, then health is also good. If we don’t want anybody to be morose with us, then we
should not be morose with anybody. We have to cultivate good character and quality.
This is called initiation.

Instead of eating food cooked outside, we should prepare our own prasadam. Taking
prasadam according to our needs is important. This is initiation.

Spare at least half-hour every day to read Srila Prabhupada’s books and one hour to
clean our surroundings. This will give us rosy attitude and rosy health.”

We have just begun our lives in Krishna consciousness. May the Lord bless us to follow
these compassionate instructions of our Guru Maharaj and make our initiation
meaningful.

- Anandamurti Krishna das and Savita devi dasi, Chennai.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

139
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Theistic Conduct
The following is the extract of the initiation lecture given by our Gurudeva in Rajkot
29.01.2009 in which Maharaj speaks about the importance of Theistic conduct in our
lives.

“Even now we don’t understand the purpose of transcendental vibrations. Time and
again it is proved and well tested that it works. Only it works and nothing else works.
As a human being we have our finer intelligence. We can think about these things.
Suppose we are really sick we go to the hospital. Formerly hospitals were not in picture.
It was not seen and it was not a very common thing. We have seen previously, the
society completely free of doctors. The doctors were like stray cats. They are not part of
our society. In about 70 years, the whole road is full of hospitals. There are innumerable
hospitals. This shows the degradation of society from theism to atheism.

The important thing is that just by being theistic we pick ourselves up. Krishna recognises
even our slightest service. As soon as we have inclinations towards going to Him, He
walks towards us. We don’t know at all. After being admitted in hospital they will put
you in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) to earn money. Yamaraja says ICU (I see you). If
Yamaraja is bound to come, he will come anywhere. Why we should go to ICU and pay
and talk to him. The difficulty is that the doctors too really don’t know anything. Their
treatments are based on blood tests. There was one doctor from Sydney. I asked him
how long the blood test is valid. He said that it is valid for one day. Then I again asked
him are you sure it is valid for one day. NO NO it is half a day. Then again I asked him
‘Are you sure whether it is valid for half a day?’ He said, ‘No No, it is for a few minutes’.
He was very honest about it.

Everything is changing in the world. One thing is changeless in this world and that is the
change itself. Everything changes at every moment. If there is so much change, then we
cannot depend upon the blood test reports and if their treatment is based on the report
it is going to be wrong. They have to change their medicines. The whole process is
going in the wrong direction. Somehow or other we have plenty of money and we try in
this way. The thing is they also see that nothing is working and eventually they put the
patient on oxygen. Oxygen is known as präëa väyu – it is life force. For life force, fresh
air is required. It is coming from Krishna and cows. The cows have mystical yogic
power to produce oxygen and inhale our carbon-dioxide. It purifies the contamination
and hence the cows are worshipped. Everything from the cow is a remedy for our diseases.
For children’s growth cow milk is a must. Formerly every house had a cow in front of
the house.

All these reports and medicines end in administering oxygen, and the oxygen goes to
the body and spreads all over the body. Anything goes into the body goes all over the
body. Each limb of the body requires oxygen inside and outside. Oxygen is a gift from
Brahmajyothi which is effulgence coming from the vigraha of the Lord. This gift from
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Theistic Conduct

Krishna cannot be manufactured or supplied by anybody. Therefore Krishna’s


supremacy must be accepted. Those who accept they become happy to that extent.
After all this nonsense, again we have to depend on Krishna. So better trust Him
from the beginning. We are completely saved from this torturous treatment. No report
is valid for more than one minute and the medicines are based on such treatment.
Because of our ignorance we have left the simple remedy and got into complicated
remedy. From today we should stop this and try to tolerate. The thing is that tolerance
is not there now. With little reason we are angry or agitated. The sobriety is not
there. We are not sober. That we should try from today.

The main characteristic of a sober person is that even in agitating circumstances he is


not agitated. This is initiation. Otherwise what is the use of initiation? Nothing else is to
be learnt. You have to learn this first. For this Krishna’s names are very important.
Prabhupada was very magnanimous and he wanted every living entity to come to this
understanding. He was telling Christians that ‘I am not here to convert you. Please
chant Jesus Jesus. Just chant. Doesn’t matter.’ The sober attitude does not have Muslim,
Hindu or Christian faith. We are completely above this. Unless we cultivate this
understanding there is no use of initiation. It becomes a fashion. As soon as we learn to
become sober (dhéraù) then everything becomes clear. From peaceful attitude everything
could be generated. Without peace and patience nothing could be solved. Peace and
Patience is PP. Instead of double P (PP) we take double A – Anger and Agitation. We
spoil the whole thing. We should avoid this completely from today if not before.

The Americans are not very religious. The US Dollar note has got one sentence, ‘In God
we trust’. This sentence saves them. It is just a sentence but Krishna recognises it.
Millions of hands the coins or notes go into. Hands are purified. Somebody reads his
eyes are purified. Anybody thinks about it, the brain gets purified. Their whole life is
purified. Nobody sees but he or she is purified. Krishna is slipping in the hand.
Prabhupada gives an example that the child does not know that fire will burn the finger
but it burns. We are like small children and unknowingly we are affected. In any form,
theism must flow from our whole existence. If we have abundant theism then we can
hand it over to somebody. This process has to go on unbroken and Prabhupada is our
Jagad Guru. We are all indebted to him. We come to this movement by reading his
books. The day we read his books we are initiated into Krishna consciousness.

Don’t give in to petty divisions. That is not initiation. Be magnanimous. The modes
force us to divide ourselves. Get rid of them and be very happy with Krishna. Be in the
mode of goodness at least if not anything else. Sattva guëa is best but çuddha-sattva is
required. In extra purified goodness all these petty things do not exist. It is all Krishna’s
domain. By magnanimous attitude only you can survive healthily on this planet. By
ignorance we become narrow-minded. Don’t give in to these lower modes. From today
you are promising in front of fire and Krishna that we will go after natural things. The
doctors have started mud bath and they know this is the cure for our diseases. Because
every material object has three things - earth, fire and water. Earth is cure for our body,

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

water is cure for our body and fire is more important cure for our body. From today
please do not go in for modern treatment. It is a silly thing to make them part of our
society. Prabhupada wanted us to have unflinching faith in Supreme transcendence and
avoid anything which separates us from this transcendence. The simple life will give
you a godly attitude. We do not really have any inclination towards simplicity. This is a
gift of western education. This gift should be rejected and our Vedic gift should be
accepted.”

- Sajjanapriya Krishna das, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

142
The Goal of All Vedic Knowledge
We understand from Bhagavad-Gita that the aim of all the Vedas is to understand the
Supreme Lord (vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah). So studying scriptures is one of the
imporant activities in devotional service and in any path of spiritual realization. However,
when we make an academic study of the Vedas without focus on the Supreme Lord,
then one will not derive the full benefit of such Vedic study. Recently while talking to
Maharaj he mentioned, “Though Sripada Shankaracharya wrote many works glorifying
knowledge, he finally said Bhaja Govindam. The Sanskrit grammar will not save you
while dying. Only Govinda Bhajan will save you”. He also added, “Actually study of
scriptures is not condemned as long as all our study leads us to the conclusion that
Krishna is the cause of all causes. If our study leads to any other conclusion, then it is to
be avoided.” So our reading of Bhagavad-Gita and Bhagavatam is to be done in a spirit
of service to please the Supreme Lord and the acharya and not to be done with an
academic temperament. There is an interesting background in which the Bhaja
Govindam was composed.

When Sripada Sankaracharya visited Varanasi, he collected water from Ganges for his
worship and was walking along the banks of Ganges with his disciples. At that time, an
old man was teaching his students about a subject called ‘òukåï karaë’ in Sanskrit grammar
(Vyäkarana). When Lord Shiva plays his instrument called ‘òamaru’ many sounds are
produced, and they form the basic sounds for Sanskrit grammar and the old man was
teaching them with great interest. At that time, one of Shankara’s disciples slipped his
vessel with water and it fell with some sound. The old man said, “See how the sound is
coming from the falling vessel. This sound also has a grammar” and explained it in great
delight. Shankaracharya approached him with great compassion, patted on his shoulders
and sang,

bhaja govindam bhaja govindam govindam bhaja mudha mate


sampräpte sannihite käle nahi nahi rakshati dukurun karane

“O foolish human being, Worship Govinda (with your body), worship Govinda (with
your mind), worship Govinda (with your words). Because when your life comes to an
end and death approaches you, the Vyäkarana lesson (dukrun karan) will not save
you. Only Govinda Bhajan will save you”.

In this entire song, the great acharya glorifies the power of Lord’s name and the power
of the association of devotees. In this regard, Srila Prabhupada’s contribution is unique
because his books have not only imparted spiritual knowledge, but also made the people
to follow the instructions of Bhagavad-Gita and Bhagavatam in the form of chanting,
offering flowers, offering food and visiting the temple etc. During the temple inaguration
at Dwaraka, Maharaj said in his lecture, “Srila Prabhupada has done a great favor to us
by translating bhakti as devotional service instead of just devotion and has given us
many avenues for serving the Lord practically”.
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

The Vedas also gives us a stern warning about the dry academic approach to the
Vedas with no reference to the Supreme Lord and devotional service. It is said in the
Svetasvatara Upanishad 4.8:

åco akñare parame vyoman yasmin devä adhiviçve niñeduù


yas tan na veda kim åca kariñyati ya ittad vidus ta ime samäsate

“He who does not know that highest and imperishable God sung in the Vedas, in
whom all the devatas are supported, what use can the Vedas be of to that person?
One who knows Him fulfills the purpose of the Vedas.”

It is also an offense to deride sincere devotees who do not possess sufficient knowledge
of the scriptures, since the presence of sincere devotion itself implies the presence of all
knowledge. I pray at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudeva so that I will give
up this disease of hunting for knowledge with an academic temperament and become
fixed in chanting of the Lord’s holy names.

- Narahari Krishna das, Chennai.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

144
The Supreme Absolute Truth
In the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, we find that the demigods offer selected
wonderful prayers to please Lord Krishna in the womb of Devaki mata. The following is
the first of those prayers (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.26) and it is a very beautiful prayer
to recite and remember.

satya-vrataà satya-paraà tri-satyaà


satyasya yonià nihitaà ca satye
satyasya satyam åta-satya-netraà
satyätmakaà tväà çaraëaà prapannäù

The demigods prayed: O Lord, “You never deviate from Your vow, which is always
perfect because whatever You decide is perfectly correct and cannot be stopped by
anyone. Being present in the three phases of cosmic manifestation— creation,
maintenance and annihilation— You are the Supreme Truth. Indeed, unless one is
completely truthful, one cannot achieve Your favor, which therefore cannot be achieved
by hypocrites. You are the active principle, the real truth, in all the ingredients of
creation, and therefore you are known as antaryämi, the inner force. You are equal to
everyone, and Your instructions apply for everyone, for all time. You are the beginning
of all truth. Therefore, offering our obeisances, we surrender unto You. Kindly give
us protection.”

Our beloved Guru Maharaj gave a wonderful class on each of the eight qualities of the
Lord in the above verse and if we simply remember and abide by these instructions our
perfection in life is guaranteed.

1. Satya-vratam –The Personality of Godhead who never deviates from His vow.
“As stated in the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna descends upon this material world just to
protect the pious and destroy the impious. That is His vow. The demigods could
understand that the Lord had taken His residence within the womb of Devaki to fulfill
this vow. Thus the Lord never deviates from His vow but we always deviate. We proudly
call ourselves shästris - “we know the scriptures”. So if somebody asks us why we did
not keep up our vows then we say, ‘O! Prabhu! It is all Kali-yuga. So it is very difficult
to be strict with our vows.’ Thus we blame Kaliyuga for our deviations and that is our
foolishness. We take Kali-yuga’s help to remain lazy. Krishna’s instruction is that whatever
vow we take, we should try to be very serious about it.

2. Satya-param - He is the Absolute Truth.


Absolute Truth means that except Him, there is nothing. Krishna says to Arjuna in
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita 7.7

mattaù parataraà nänyat kiïcid asti dhanaïjaya


mayi sarvam idaà protaà sütre maëi-gaëä iva
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

“O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me,
as pearls are strung on a thread.”

Thus everything is Him. So however some living entity may trouble us, it is Krishna.
Some may praise us - it is Krishna. Some may help us - it is Krishna. Some may try to destroy
us - it is Krishna. So this way, we escape all the enmity. Seeing Krishna, we don’t have any
enemies. Ajäta-satru. That attitude must be cultivated, if you want to progress spiritually.
Otherwise your valuable time is diverted to the material enmities and then there is
blaming and counter-blaming. All our valuable time is wasted. We should try to save
our time. This Absolute nature of the truth helps us to save our time. Whether we
believe it or not, He is in control and without Him, nothing happens. That is the meaning
of satya-param.

3. Tri-satyam - He is always present as the Absolute Truth, before the creation of


this cosmic manifestation, during its maintenance, and even after its annihilation.
In the seed verses of Srimad Bhagavatam the Lord declares in 2.9.33

aham eväsam evägre nänyad yat sad-asat param


paçcäd ahaà yad etac ca yo ‘vaçiñyeta so ‘smy aham

“Brahma, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation,
when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of
this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after
annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.”

4. Satyasya yonim – The cause of all relative truths, which are emanations from the
Supreme Lord Krishna.
‘Yoni’ means the source. Whatever truths we see, the source is Him. The cupboard is
here. It is ‘satya’ or ‘truth’ for us. But yoni is Him. How? We are alive and we have soul
and Supersoul in our heart. Till that time, I see the cupboard. Cupboard is also intact. It
is not dismantled. It has the three main ingredients earth, water and fire which are
Krishna’s energy and Krishna is holding it. As soon as Krishna decides to leave, the
cupboard will be converted into iron ore etc, then mix into the land, and eventually
land will go back to Krishna in the subtle stage. This is the yonim.

Because Krishna is there, then only we are seeing this cupboard. As soon as He leaves
our body or decides to leave the planet, the whole planet will be dismantled immediately.
This is satyasya yonim. Anything you feel as truth is because of Him. Without Him
everything is null and void. And we don’t digest this idea. We are thinking ‘I am doing.
I am doing.’ We put ‘I’ between Him and us. That is why He is far away. As soon as you
give Him credit, He is near you. Then everything is alright. Because He is the yonim- the
source of everything.

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The Supreme Absolute Truth

5. Nihitam ca satye - Entered in the factors that create this material world (namely,
the five elements—earth, water, fire, air and ether).

The Lord enters everything, even the atom: andäntara-stha-paramänu-cayäntara-stham


(Brahma-samhita 5.35). Therefore He is called antaryämi, the inner force. Regarding
the five elements, one thing we should always remember that they are all part of the 12
witnesses who see every activity of the living entities. In Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1.42 it is
stated:
süryo ‘gniù khaà marud devaù somaù sandhyähané diçaù
kaà kuù svayaà dharma iti hy ete daihyasya säkñiëaù

“The sun, fire, sky, air, demigods, moon, evening, day, night, directions, water, land
and Supersoul Himself all witness the activities of the living entity.”

We find that all the five great elements are included in the above. They are very sincere
and they are always watching us. Water is situated in our body and water is watching
us. Agni is situated in our body and is watching. Bhumi is already there. Nothing He
misses. That is why immediately He knows. As soon as we think anything, He knows.
That is why the devotee’s thinking process is also purified because of Him. Ordinary
people they think bad and the whole existence becomes miserable. Bad means always
misery. Good means always satisfying. Sattvam visuddhau - purified goodness is all Him.

6. Satyasya satyam - The Lord is the original truth of all that is accepted as the truth.
So many truths are there but the Lord is the original one. Many people follow only
morality and say that good behaviour is alright. They say that ‘I am living good and
nobody troubles me and I am not troubling anyone. There is no Bhagavan.’

But these people fail to understand that the ‘yoni’ or source is Him. Whatever satya or
truth they speak, He is the reason and they do not know that. People are completely
ignorant of this. We think that our legs walk. Frankly spoken, our eyes and the light
(prakash) help us to walk. In pitch dark, it is very difficult to walk. Eyes are not working
and there is no light. Particularly when your legs are weak, you cannot walk in darkness.
Always it is Him in the background and we do not see. It is true but we never see that
the light helps us to walk. Never.

Regarding the movement of the body, any movement is because of the air in the body.
I can see, I can talk, I can walk and it is all because of air. The root is air. For all the
pains and aches, air is the reason. So He orders the air in the body, ‘let this man have
ache’. So that is why it is insisted in the shastras that bodily pains must be regarded as
the mercy of Krishna. So tolerate it. He is sending it. Don’t unnecessarily worry about it.
The root is all within the five elements. In that also, air is very important. Without air,
we can’t survive. Any small movement you do, it is the air. Hence regulation of air is a
must in our body. This regulation always goes wrong because of our sinful activities.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

That is why it is very much insisted in Bhagavad-Gita 7.28:

yeñäà tv anta-gataà päpaà janänäà puëya-karmaëäm


te dvandva-moha-nirmuktä bhajante mäà dåòha-vratäù

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful
actions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of delusion, and they
engage themselves in My service with determination.”

The thing is that the sinful ideas must also vanish. As soon as we think about sin, the air
in the body becomes unregulated. The first thing the sin is affecting is our digestion.
That we don’t know. That is why good behaviour is a must for our healthy body. Any
anti Srimad Bhagavatam activity, affects our bodily health and then existence. Then we
become angry and kill indiscriminately. In America, there are so many shoot outs and it
is all air and sinful ideas. We are all suffering from sinful thinking. The Vedic culture
acts on the thinking process. It is said, ‘sa vai manah kåñëa padäravindayoh’.

Unless we qualify ourselves in the above way, we cannot understand Krishna lila. The
sinful attitude must disappear from our lives. Then only we can understand how the
five great elements work under His control. Why somebody has a stroke and within a
second, half the body is completely gone. Who does that? The air in that part is gone
and the movement stops and it becomes very heavy. Just to move it, requires great
endeavour. Try to avoid the pitfalls and you will be alright. Real intelligence is to be
dedicated to understanding these things. Srila Prabhupada insisted that our temples
should be spiritual embassies disseminating this knowledge.

7. Rta-satya-netram – He is the origin of whatever truth is pleasing.


Anything regarding Him is truth and He is all pleasing.

8. Satyätmakam - Everything pertaining to the Lord is truth (sac-cid-änanda: His


body is truth, His knowledge is truth, and His pleasure is truth).

Whenever we utter something, four defects are bound to be there in our statements and
they are imperfect senses, mistakes, cheating, and illusion. Supposing we call and say
that ‘I am coming’ then we have to understand that we cannot go unless we are alive and
there is no guarantee that we will be alive and our senses are imperfect and we are
completely illusioned. But suppose we add to our sentence ‘‘Krishna willing, I am
coming’’, then all the four defects vanish immediately just by adding Krishna. As soon
as He comes in the form of His name, His name being non-different from Him, and a
great purifying force, everything becomes truth.”

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

148
Relative Truth is not Absolute Truth
I would like to share the wonderful points, which His Holiness Mahavishnu Gosvami
Maharaj told us in his class on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.1, in London, July 8, 2008.

oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya


janmädy asya yato ‘nvayäd itarataç cärtheñv abhijïaù svaräö
tene brahma hådä ya ädi-kavaye muhyanti yat sürayaù
tejo-väri-mådäà yathä vinimayo yatra tri-sargo ‘måñä
dhämnä svena sadä nirasta-kuhakaà satyaà paraà dhémahi

“O my Lord, Sri Krishna, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I


offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Sri Krishna because
He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance
and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious
of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond
Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge into the heart of Brahmaji,
the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods are placed into
illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or
land seen on water. Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily
manifested by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although
they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Sri Krishna, who is eternally
existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free from the illusory
representations of the material world. I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute
Truth.”

1. We cannot follow this temporary illusion


“The three modes point is the most important here. [Reading from purport] “(…) In the
material sky everything is relative truth. That is to say, one truth depends on something else”
All our truths are relative. If everything goes according to my arrangement, then I am
happy, but if that is removed, we’re in distress.

[Reading from purport] “(…)This cosmic creation results from interaction of the three
modes of nature, and the temporary manifestations are so created as to present an illusion of
reality to the bewildered mind of the conditioned soul.” The reality is that we cannot follow
this temporary illusion, but we’ve been allowed to touch it to the minimum extent. But
we don’t have the idea that Krishna is there always in the background. He gives us free
line sometimes, but if we don’t recognize the reality, we are forced to accept it. Simply
we don’t keep this in mind: that there is something in the background. The background
is Krishna – but that we ignore. At death you cannot take a brick with you – illusory
energy cannot be caught, because it is illusion. But when we say to them its illusion,
people will say “mind your own business”. I don’t know how Srila Prabhupada was able
to convert all of us. It takes two buckets of blood to make each of us a devotee but still
we rebel! We are rebellious by nature.
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

2. Exhibit extreme simplicity


There are only two alternatives:

1) You follow Bhagavatam – and you’re at ease.


2) As soon as you leave the Bhagavatam – we suffer. Simple.

[Reading from purport] “(…) Beginning from Brahma down to the insignificant ant, no
one is independent in the material creation. The hand of the Lord is seen everywhere. All
material elements as well as all spiritual sparks emanate from Him only. And whatever is
created in this material world is but the interaction of two energies, the material and the
spiritual, which emanate from the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna.”

Especially in youth, we think relative truth is Absolute Truth; but it’s not. Please, try to
convince yourself. The outcome will show in our behaviour. We should exhibit extreme
simplicity in our behaviour – then only can we claim we are following anything from
Bhagavatam. Everything we do contrary to this, will boomerang back on us. So please
let us pray that Krishna will give us capacity to put it into practice. We don’t see that
Krishna’s hand is there in everything! Everywhere, Krishna’s claim should be uttered.

3. Be equal in all circumstances


Siddhy-asiddhyoh samo bhutvä: We are saved from that wavering in success or failure,
because we know that negative is also Krishna’s mercy. Nothing is in our hand – but
still we are not understanding; so better then not to lead the public to be mislead. Better
we ourselves understand it, to present to the public. Srila Prabhupada had a lifetime
of preparation before going to America. Here Srila Prabhupada has written so much,
just to convince us that Krishna is all-in-all.

[Reading from purport] “(…) Unless one surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Supreme
Lord, it is certain that he will be bewildered. When an intelligent man surrenders unto the
lotus feet of Krishna and knows completely that Krishna is the cause of all causes, as confirmed
in Bhagavad-Gita, then only can such an intelligent man become a mahatma, or great soul.
But such a great soul is rarely seen. Only the mahatmas can understand that the Supreme
Lord is the primeval cause of all creations. He is parama or ultimate truth because all other
truths are relative to Him. He is omniscient. For Him, there is no illusion.”

When one realizes that the Lord is sarva-käraëa-käraëam, then he is sane, otherwise, he
is insane. Like with Bill Gates - when his son died, he said, “My wealth doesn’t make me
happy”. Similarly, Lord Krishna takes all away from us to make us detached from
everything material. So these relative truths should be recognized; it is a must, at least
for us. Try to be equal in all circumstances. We should not worry about anything, but
try to follow these directions in all circumstances. Please try to understand this and
pray to Krishna that He will direct you. Death cures everything – automatically you
are sannyasi at death – the flames are saffron. We should be very practical in this
regard. We should lack nothing, but at the same time, not a single farthing should be

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Relative Truth is not Absolute Truth

overspent. Nobody cares about what they are doing, but about the payment, we are
very particular: “You want me to pray for you? Then pay!” - This is not the way.
Please, we should not worry about payment – it will come some way or the other,
but by hankering we’ll not get it.

4. Bhagavatam should be daily contacted


Srimad Bhagavatam should be daily contacted. Because we are missing this, we are
missing everything. Early to bed and early to rise is important for this. Unfortunately, in
India also now they don’t go to bed before midnight. By hook or by crook, we should be
early to bed and early to rise!”

- Amoghadrk Krishna das, Denmark.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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The Personality of Godhead is Perfect and Complete


Despite the transcendental qualities of Lord Krishna’s body, its full bliss and
knowledge, there are many so-called scholars and commentators of Bhagavad-Gita
who deride Krishna as an ordinary man. The scholar may be born an extraordinary
man due to his previous good work, but this conception of Sri Krishna is due to a
poor fund of knowledge. Therefore he is called mudha, for only foolish persons consider
Krishna to be an ordinary human being because they do not know the confidential
activities of the Supreme Lord and His different energies. They do not know that
Krishna’s body is a symbol of complete knowledge and bliss, that He is the proprietor
of everything that be and that He can award liberation to anyone. Not knowing
Krishna’s transcendental qualifications, they deride Him. In Bhagavad-Gita 9.11, Lord
Krishna states.
avajänanti mäà müòhä mänuñéà tanum äçritam
paraà bhävam ajänanto mama bhüta-maheçvaram

“Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My
transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.”

Srila Prabhupada further explains that foolish persons, however, cannot conceive that
the Personality of Godhead, Krishna, appearing just like an ordinary man, can be the
controller of all the atoms and of the gigantic manifestation of the universal form. He
can control the infinite and the finite simultaneously and that He can remain aloof from
them. Although the foolish cannot imagine how Krishna, who appears just like a human
being, can control the infinite and the finite, those who are pure devotees accept this,
for they know that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore they
completely surrender unto Him and engage in Krishna consciousness, devotional service
of the Lord.

Fortunately, our spiritual master, His Holiness Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj, on his
recent short visit to Abu Dhabi gave his blessings to the assembled devotees. He
mentioned that “One requires unlimited patience to create favorable circumstances to
liberate oneself from material sense gratification. Breathing keeps our body alive but
Bhagavad-Gita keeps our soul alive. We should never be merciful to ourselves but
merciful to all other living entities. We have wasted so many lives already, why to add
one more. There are only two consciousnesses: namely degree consciousness and
Krishna consciousness. Materially opulent men always have to add a degree to his
name to introduce himself while on the other hand Krishna need not introduce
Himself, just a glance of His and people fall at His lotus feet to pay obeisances. Uddhava
was such a great devotee that he clearly knew that Krishna is the source of everything
where as we are not attracted to Supreme Absolute Truth and are attracted by three
modes of material nature. We must realize this before it is too late. We have to come
out of the material ‘gutter’ as soon as possible and also try to help others out to bring
them to Krishna consciousness.”
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The Personality of Godhead is Perfect and Complete

Sri Isopanishad states:


oà pürëam adaù pürëam idaà
pürëät pürëam udacyate
pürëasya pürëam ädäya
pürëam evävaçiñyate

“The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely


perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly
equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also
complete in itself. Because He is the Complete Whole, even though so many complete
units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance.”

All facilities are given to the small complete units (namely the living beings) to enable
them to realize the Complete Whole. All forms of incompleteness are experienced due
to incomplete knowledge of the Complete Whole. The human form of life is a complete
manifestation of the consciousness of the living being, and it is obtained after evolving
through 8,400,000 species of life in the cycle of birth and death. If in this human life of
full consciousness the living entity does not realize his completeness in relation to the
Complete Whole, he loses the chance to realize his completeness and is again put into
the evolutionary cycle by the law of material nature.

I humbly pray to the Supreme Lord and our Guru Maharaj that I may remain progressively
fixed in Krishna consciousness.

- Tushta Krishna das, Sharjah.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Worshiping the Supreme Lord Purushottama


In September 2008, our beloved Gurudeva H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj, was
in Singapore and it was a totally blissful week for all of us. We thank Maharaj
profoundly for taking the pain to come to Singapore at this age and enlightening us.
I also would like to thank H G Kalacakra Prabhuji who was with us for a couple of
days and whose presence gave me the kickstart to make the offering for granthraj.
During his short stay Prabhuji was enlightening us on Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-
Gita which inspired me to share a few lines of Maharaj’s nectar.

Maharaj insisted that we must study Bhagavad-Gita and Bhagavatam very seriously. He
quoted the verse from Srimad Bhagavatam 3.29.11-12:

mad-guëa-çruti-mätreëa mayi sarva-guhäçaye


mano-gatir avicchinnä yathä gaìgämbhaso ‘mbudhau

lakñaëaà bhakti-yogasya nirguëasya hy udähåtam


ahaituky avyavahitä yä bhaktiù puruñottame

“The manifestation of unadulterated devotional service is exhibited when one’s mind


is at once attracted to hearing the transcendental name and qualities of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who is residing in everyone’s heart. Just as the water of the
Ganges flows naturally down towards the ocean, such devotional ecstasy,
uninterrupted by any material condition, flows towards the Supreme Lord.”

Maharaj instructed us to chant with bhakti which will purify the blood and improve the
texture of the skin. He mentioned that it is one of the best remedies for the miseries
arising from our own body and it involves inhaling and exhaling of air which is nothing
but the breathing exercise.

Going back to the verse, he said that just as the Ganges flows only into the ocean, we
should also be focused on serving the Supreme Absolute Truth (SAT) by chanting,
reading Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and Bhagavatam and doing intense devotional service
(ärädhana). The following nectarean instructions were given by Gurudeva.

1. Our flow is our constitutional position. Our whole existence is just (mätrena) to
remember the Supreme Lord and serve Him to obtain His mercy. He then quoted the
verse from Bhagavad-Gita 9.22;

ananyäç cintayanto mäà ye janäù paryupäsate


teñäà nityäbhiyuktänäà yoga-kñemaà vahämy aham

which also states ananyäh - having no other object other than mad-guna-shruti -
hearing about the glories of the Lord.
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Worshiping the Supreme Lord Purushottama

2. Maharaj said that the goal and process are the same in devotional service but in
the material world they are different. Maharaj mentioned that if the water of the
Ganges is clean, then the flow is faster which means our lives must be clean, then our
flow towards Krishna is fast. If the Ganges water is dirty, then the flow towards the
ocean is interrupted. If it is very dirty, then the flow gets stagnated. Similarly if our
lives are dirty, we struggle just like how a fish struggles when it is out of water and
we go into illusion where there is no reality. Henceforth the condition of our mind
should change.

3. Just as the river is useful to the people (people take bath, etc.) as it flows to the ocean,
we are also useful to the people as we are going towards the Lord. If the life is dirty we
will be completely misguided with things that are not there. Maharaj told a story to
illustrate this point.

Once there was a man who saw a necklace in a pool of dirty water. He wanted the
necklace but at the same time he did not want to become dirty by entering the water.
Another man passed by. The first man requested this person to get him the necklace in
water. He entered the water and reached for the necklace but could not get any. He then
realized that he had become dirty. He cursed himself for accepting this task and went
away. A third person came along and the same thing transpired. Then a fourth man
came along. This man was also requested to get the necklace in water. This man looked
up and saw a necklace hanging on a branch. He just climbed up, retrieved the necklace
without dirtying himself and went away.

Moral: Please avoid reflections in life.

4. Maharaj then explained the meaning of Purushottama.


Purush: enjoyer, uth: out, tama: mode of darkness. Purushottama - One who forces us
to come out of darkness. Hence bhakti should go towards Purushottama (yä bhaktih
purushottame).

5. Maharaj mentioned the symptoms of Kali-yuga as Mr.S.L.MUD i.e. Shortlived, Lazy,


Misguided, Unfortunate and Disturbed and we must avoid this to do uninterrupted
devotional service to the Supreme Lord.

I thank you very much Maharaj, for showering your causeless mercy on us and with
your blessings and sadhu sanga I hope I can focus on my devotional service
uninterruptedly.

- Krishnamayi devi dasi, Singapore.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Life Begins from Cleanliness


The following is a transcription of a lecture given by our spiritual master HH
Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj on October 12, 2008 in Sri Sri Radha-NeelaMadhav
Dham, Rajkot. Maharaj was explaining the following verse from shastras.

sukhasya duhkhasya na kopi dätä


paro dadäti iti kubuddhir eñä
purä krtam karma sadaiva bhujyate
dehin kvacin nistara yat tvayä krtam

“No one is the cause for our happiness and distress. Only a foolish person thinks that
the miseries are given by others. We always enjoy happiness or distress based on our
previous karma. So as long as one is embodied, he has to patiently tolerate the results
of his past karma and by this way he can get rid of it.”

“We are enjoying or always suffering from our own previous karma. ‘puräkrtam karma
sadhaiva bhujyate - dehin kvacin nistara yat tvayä krtam’ - Better keep quiet and tolerate
whatever hard time Krishna is giving you because of your reactions of karma and get rid
of those karma. There is nobody responsible for our happiness or misery. We are
tolerating. We are experiencing happiness or misery as per our karmic reactions. Once
we are in a difficulty, we blame our stars – “I have shani - I have mangal this and that”.
The individual himself or herself is the impediment for himself or herself. Nobody is the
reason. Really if we deeply think, we are at mistake. Bhagavatam says - if there is any
difficulty blame yourself - so that the matter ends. But we don’t blame ourselves. So
blaming and counter-blaming goes on. Everyone should blame himself or herself. This
is very clear. That is why material difficulties linger on. They never end for us. Our life
is fully distressed.

There is no cleanliness. It starts with C. Because we are not clean, our relationships are
not clean. Our behaviour is not clean, our mind is not clean. Our things are not well
arranged. Everything becomes unclean and may be if Krishna is not merciful we may
suffer from diseases. Unclean body is already there. Unclean body becomes more diseased
when the mind is unclean. First mind goes bad and then the body. Apart from this we
cannot stop the signs of old age. So cleanliness helps us all the way - This is the first
requisite for all our life - both material and spiritual. That restaurant guy who comes
here - Lord’s hotel manager, his business is prospering so nicely. His restaurant has
only one quality - that cleanliness is there. I don’t know about the quality of the food
there. But the hotel is immaculately clean. You can see your face in his restaurant’s floor
tiles. So clean. So as I told you, people like cleanliness. They don’t do cleaning themselves
- but like cleanliness (laughter). But laziness stops this quality. Because we are not
clean, our life is also not disciplined.

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Life Begins from Cleanliness

When cleanliness is absent, discipline is completely absent. Regulated life is completely


absent. Cleanliness will definitely help you to have discipline in your life. Because you
are happy to see your things nicely arranged, you know what you need, what you don’t
need. What to buy, what not to buy. If haphazard things are there, then you buy this
and that and again add some scrap to whatever dump you have. This is ridiculous.
Discipline is completely absent - There is C for Cleanliness and D for discipline. Because
we are not clean, we are not disciplined and there is no education - E.

You became doctor because you were clean, disciplined parents took care of you - and
so you were able to take a medical degree. Otherwise, education will be completely
absent. We are not clean. There is no guidance and we don’t want to take guidance. So
much arrogance is there. Since C and D are missing E is absent. Education is absent. Till
mother is alive she always works very hard to clean. We always tell our mother, “Mother,
how nice you have cleaned!”, but we never helped her any time. But mothers are bound
to go away and you are bound to grow up. You will go for work here and there. So then
we are tested. If C (Cleanliness) is absent D (discipline) is bankrupt and E (Education)
is not there - then F is For, G is For God...Education For God - that is completely gone
for us. We don’t know at all. Srila Prabhupada is the only saint who has found out the
correct diagnosis of our miseries. Because we are bereft of God we are suffering. God -
He gave a nice name Krishna. When they were forming the society in America - he said
our society is known as International Society for Krishna Consciousness. So his disciples
said - Krishna is “Hindu God”. So better we keep International Society for God
Consciousness. He said, “No - Krishna” (laughter) “Krishna is not sectarian word”, he
said. - To that extent, this God’s education is important. Now whoever tells International
Society for Krishna Consciousness, at least they utter the word once.

This is how material education is absent - what to ask about God’s education? We are
completely heading for bankrupt life. Result is not seen, but experienced. Again and
again you have to take the material body. You have not used your human form properly.
So again and again you have to take material bodies. You are forced to be born, “bhutvä
bhutvä praniyate bhutvä” and bodies means; we are in human form at the moment and
to have the human form again - there are 8 million 400 thousand bodies in-between.
We don’t know the danger. This is very high. ‘svalpam apyasya dharmasya träyate mahato
bhayät’ - Very little beginning we make, träyate means protect. This dharma protects us
from great fear.

We cannot experience death. Horribly we are scared of death. We are afraid to talk
about death and we try to avoid talks about death. These things we never contemplate
seriously and that is why our life is not organized. And wherever we stay we are the
cause of chaos. Our life is chaotic and then how can we help others? In addition to that,
city life is hellish and in top of that we go to foreign countries. Their life is completely
different. We may not get adjusted to it. Again if we get adjusted, our own inebrieties
are there. So we may not be able to succeed. But once we are gone, then it’s very difficult
to come back. There was one Indian High Commissioner. He was a Gujarati. He was

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always telling that when we leave India that time it was an honourable thing to go to
London - because nobody went. His relatives garlanded him - 12 garlands! He showed
me the photo. Now that he was garlanded he could not go back. Actually there was no
place to stay for him. No prasadam, he had to work in the restaurant. But he writes
letter from there saying he is very happy. Krishna alone knows that he is sad, standing
near the dish washer and washing vessels. Please avoid these unnecessary situations
and be very frank in your situations so that we may not cheat anybody. When C is
absent, cleaning is absent - again another C is there - Cheating is there. Unclean habit -
That is cheating - Because we are not clean, we cheat. It goes without saying.

These things only disappear with pure conscious cleaning - You should not even do
bhakti - Bhakti comes afterwards. First pure conscious cleaning . I don’t know how
much more to insist this. Try to remember this. Somehow or the other we find out
something so that we do not forget these things. If we remember CDEFG (Cleanliness
Discipline Education For God) you are fully fixed in your front. CDEFG - Very easy to
remember. What to speak of devotional service, everywhere we are dirty. Our whole
consciousness is polluted. We don’t even know what we are doing. Our mind is not
clean. Our Atma (H G Atmaprasad Krishna Prabhu from Minneapolis) writes very
nicely in his poem:
If our room is clean
then our mind is clean;
If our mind is clean, we can do anything.
If our room is dirty, then so are we;
If we are dirty, then we are not happy

Our school children here - (Sri Prahlad International School) in Rajkot sing very nicely.
So mind must be completely clean. But it’s impossible. We are surrounded by so many
worries. Artificial relationships cannot continue for long. Clean relationships we don’t
have. Clean relationships are gifts from Krishna. That is why parents and children hardly
they forget each other. That relationship is very clean. Parents don’t achieve anything
from us. So svärtha is completely absent. When Selfishness is absent - then relationships
are pure. After all, all the other relationships are dependent on selfishness. That is why
there is fighting, quarrel, divorces etc. As soon as our selfish interest is affected, we flare
up. Everything goes wrong if we don’t care for C.

Whatever relationship we have with Krishna, Krishna being our source, kind father
does not want anything from us. But only wants us to go back to Him. It’s a clean
relationship - Next replica is our parents relationship. Father sometimes behaves roughly.
But mother never does. In Gujarati there is saying which means - mother is happy to see
the son coming back, but wife wants to see what he has brought. These are selfish
relationships. If relationships are clean - that is the beginning of devotional service.
Clean relationship between us and Krishna. If you only remember this CDEFG your life
is successful. CDEFG - Is it very difficult to understand? That is what is insisted in the
whole of Bhagavatam.

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Life Begins from Cleanliness

These scriptures are not in the sky. They are very much intimately connected with
day to day life. Unless the way we deal with things in our day to day life is not
changed, what is the use? Outward show is quite alright. Tilak is there; dhoti is
there; japamala is there - but what is inside? Nothing. Outward show cannot continue.
Mahabharat show cannot continue for more than 3 hours. After 3 hours, each one of
us are our own selves. How long can it continue? But we are very expert in showing
up what we are actually not - but one fine day we are revealed. Hypocrisy cannot
take us anywhere. Hypocrisy is known as “dambha” in Sanskrit. Hypocrisy should be
avoided. At any cost - hypocrisy must be avoided.

There was one solicitor. He had passed LLB degree and was trying to practise. His
office was well decorated and equipped with phone etc. Once a man came to his
office. So he wanted to impress the man and as if he had received the phone, he
started speaking - “Oh Vajpayee - Prime Minister...That legal case ..Don’t worry I
will take care. Please don’t hesitate. Anytime give me a call”. Similarly he made two
such fake calls and later being satisfied with the show he has made, he asked the man
in his office, the reason why he had come. That man replied that he was the technician
who had come to connect his phone.(laughter)

We may show - eventually we will be cheated. Why do we want to show? What is


there to show and to whom do we want to show? There was one disciple in Australia
- when I went there I was staying with him. I told him - “You go to your shop - you
are your boss. So you should put on dhoti.” He said - “No Maharaj - its out of etiquette”.
I told him, “Nothing is out of etiquette (laughter). Your mind is out of etiquette.
Maybe on weekdays you are wearing suits. At least on Sundays you should try.” So
one Sunday, he put on his dhoti and kurta and went to the shop. He was very eagerly
looking if someone is looking at him. Evening when he came home, I asked him -
“What happened? Are you comfortable in dhoti-kurta?” He replied that to his surprise,
nobody looked at him. We only look at our self. People around are so busy in their
own activities. They don’t have time to look at us. But we only look at ourselves.
Unnecessarily we are afraid. These things are so easy to understand - but somehow
difficult to realize.

These things are the beginning. If the beginning is not proper how we will reach the
destination? We are all in our homes...selfish interests, hypocrisy are all the by-lanes.
We should at least come to the highway to reach the destination and should not get
stuck in the by-lanes. The other day we were reading the story about the demon selling
out various kinds of instruments - the costliest instrument being “Depression”.That is
the by lane. Envy, anger these are all by-lanes. So many people are angry with themselves
and commit suicide. Prabhupada has saved us from these. So let us follow the process
he has laid for us. A little beginning will help us. A grain of devotion is better than
tonnes of faithlessness. ‘svalpam apyasya dharmasya träyate mahato bhayät’. We should
first mould our life and then we can propagate. Somebody sees our life - by seeing they

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will take the lessons. Very easy to speak these things but when it comes to change
our behaviour – that is the test.

Our behaviour is so obnoxious. Because these inebrities are present, the process
does not work. Then we blame the process. Prabhupada has given very nice process.
But because of our inebrities, it does not reciprocate and we beat about the bush.
And because of this dirty life, we have this very bad tendency - to grab freely. For eg
- This table is very nice. So I like to take it. I ask Vaishnavseva Prabhu - “Please - I like
to have this table.” He says - “No Maharaj - This table belongs to temple. So it should
be here.” So if I don’t trust his words and disobey him, I steal the table. But after
stealing I have to hide it somewhere. I can’t take it everywhere - because it is very
heavy and so I keep it in some other’s house. Prabhupada says – “The thing which we
steal will not accompany us everywhere, but the results of theft - that will definitely
come with us.” We don’t have faith in karma theory at all. In the Mahabharat it is
stated:

yathä dhenu sahasreshu vatso gaccati mätaram


tathä yaccha krtam karma kartäram anugacchati

“Just like how in the midst of thousands of cows, a calf finds its mother accurately,
similarly, the reactions of one’s past actions, hit the doer without fail.”

Whatever karma we do, anywhere we take birth, in whatever species we are in the next
life, that reaction of karma - will hit us without fail - just like the calf finding its mother
among thousands of cows.

Why should we add more karmas? We should think. Unknowingly we accumulate so


many karmas. While I am walking unknowingly I kill so many living entities. That way
I accumulate karma. So knowingly, why to add more? (Brahma Samhita verse 5.54)
karmäëi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhäjäm - That very Personality of Godhead destroys
the fruitive karma of one engaged in devotional service.’’ - That is the power of devotional
service. That is why we should divert the attention to the process given by Prabhupada.

Unclean habits forces us to grab. Dhrtarashtra - was a very pure devotee. But he couldn’t
see. Naturally a father is inclined to sons. He could not see that his son was full of
adharma. Only Vidura could see. When Duryodhana was born, he did not even cry. He
was making sounds like a donkey. Vidura said that he should be killed as this was an
inauspicious sign. But Dhrtarashtra was angry - “My son is only 1 day old. How can he
destroy the family?” But eventually it so happened. Many times our sentimental behaviour
doesn’t work. Only Krishna’s desire and decision works. Krishna wanted Duryodhana
that way and so it was like that. One man with unclean habits - He wanted to banish
Pandavas by hook or crook. He did it. But eventually in the battle field, the karma
caught him again - he was lying like a helpless man in the battle-field with broken

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Life Begins from Cleanliness

thighs. How long will it take for Krishna to finish us off? He gives us a loose ring –
and we think we are clever.

There are unlimited things and ways we need to be clean. Everywhere we should be
guided by clean consciousness - Krishna consciousness. If you don’t understand,
Prabhupada’s books are there Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam and so many other
small books - Please relish these things. In the granthraj offering all the 26 good
qualities are coined in this acronym- “Krishna’s Flute Makes Gopis Dance”. Try to
find something easy to remember like that and keep your consciousness clean. Srila
Prabhupada has said - 16 rounds is must - That is purifying force. So please follow.”

- Sudarshana devi dasi, Bangalore.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Purification of Existence
Normally when we walk on the roads in India we step on so many contaminations in
the street and therefore we come home and wash our body and legs for purification to
avoid contamination in our external body. Cleaning process is a must or otherwise we
will become diseased. We do it naturally because we know that we are contaminated
with so many germs and bacteria which will affect our health. This we do religiously for
the sake of bodily protection. Therefore it needs to be cleansed every day without fail.
But the same body, when it lies dead, it becomes a source of nuisance and we want to
throw it out immediately, even though it is our own close relative’s body. Because
the real fragrance of the body is mainly due to presence of the soul. In fact the soul is
the one which is making the body move and do all activities. This soul is not
independent. He is completely dependent on the Supreme Soul Lord Krishna. If the
Supreme soul decides to leave the body the soul has to move from one body to
another body. Therefore we can conclude that without the presence of the Lord the
body does not have any value or fragrance. This needs to be sunk in our thick brain.
This point is going inside our brain but it is not sinking itself and that is the real cause
of all our contaminations. This point is very nicely elucidated by Srila Prabhupada in
his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 3.6.34 with the actual reasons of our contamination
and the process of purifying the contaminations - “All the conditioned souls are impure
due to contact with the material energy in three modes of nature. Therefore it is necessary
that they purify themselves under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, who not
only is a brahmana by qualification but must also be a Vaishnava.”

So we can understand that purification of existence is necessary not optional. The whole
process of devotional service is to accelerate the process of purification. The purification
of existence means and includes

1. Eating
2. Body and senses
3. Mind
4. Intelligence
5. Speech
6. Consciousness

We have to purify from gross to subtle. Gross is more easy for us to relate.

1. Purification in Eating
It is stated in the Vedas:

ähära-çuddhau sattva-çuddhiù sattva-çuddhau


dhruvä småtiù småti-lambhe sarva-granthénäà vipra-mokñaù

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Purification of Existence

“By performance of yajna one’s eatables become sanctified, and by eating sanctified
foodstuffs one’s very existence become purified. By the purification of existence finer
tissues in the memory become sanctified, and when memory is sanctified one can
think of the path of liberation.”

Our Guru Maharaj has said that at least devotees should take one vow in their lives. i.e
they will eat only prasadam and avoid outside food. The word at least is very important
to meditate upon. If we cannot do anything else in devotional service, at least this
should be our vow or otherwise there is no question of purification in our eating. Our
tendencies are to compromise so many times with so many justifications and arguments
for eating other than prasadam. Since we compromise on eating any food, our existence
is not purified and thereby memory does not work and we fail to remember basic things
in Krishna consciousness even after so-called practice for so many years in the process.
Where is the question of thinking about the path of liberation? So the Vedic literature
instructs us that

mitam bhuktva satam gatvä mitam suptvä mitam vacah


vaime bhage sayänasya bhisakbhir kim prayojanam

“What is the use of a doctor if we eat very little, walk at least 100 feet, have limited/
regulated sleep and speech and sleep lying on the left side?”

As our Maharaj says that because of our excessive eating we accumulate so much
undigested food in our stomach which is the root cause of all our diseases. Consequently
on account of excessive eating we sleep excessively. Because of lack of tongue control
we tend to speak unnecessarily all the nonsense talks. By talking all nonsense talks
(nrnäm santi sahasrashah) we invite Yamaraja just as frog invites death by croaking.

2. Purification of the Body and Senses


Srimad Bhagavatam 2.8.3 states that

kathayasva mahäbhäga yathäham akhilätmani


kåñëe niveçya niùsaìgaà manas tyakñye kalevaram

“O greatly fortunate Sukadeva Gosvami, please continue narrating Srimad Bhagavatam


so that I can place my mind upon the Supreme Soul, Lord Krishna, and, being
completely freed from material qualities, thus relinquish this body.”

Srila Prabhupada in his wonderful purport gives the way of purification of our body
and senses - “To be fully engaged in hearing the transcendental narration described in
the text of Srimad Bhagavatam means to constantly associate with the Supreme Soul, Sri
Krishna. And to constantly associate with the Supreme Lord Krishna means to be liberated
from the qualities of matter. Lord Krishna is like the sun, and material contamination is
like darkness. As the presence of the sun dissipates darkness, constant engagement in the

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association of the Lord Sri Krishna frees one from the contamination of the material
qualities. Contamination by the material qualities is the cause of repeated birth and death,
and liberation from material qualities is transcendence.”

Maharaj was saying that simply by hearing about Krishna our body improves. Those
who hear transcendental topics their body is not material. Not at all. They are surcharged
with Krishna-katha. The body also becomes transcendental. No disease touches us. But
because of our past sinful reactions we suffer from it.

The point that we need to be fully engaged should be meditated upon. We are engaged
for so many years of Krishna consciousness but whether we are fully engaged is definitely
a question. If yes then we can associate with Lord Krishna. Then all the material qualities
will dissipate. But our tendency is that we come and hear, but attentive hearing is
absent and that is the reason for our body not becoming transcendental. Scriptures
are perfect but since we are not applying it, it is not working for us and we conveniently
blame the Lord. Even after so many years we are unable to relish Bhagavatam for
more than 40 minutes, we become restless.

3. Purification of Mind
In Bhagavad-Gita, 16.1-3, Srila Prabhupada in his super excellent purport states that
Lord Caitanya said, “For a sannyasi or anyone who is aspiring to get out of the clutches of
material nature and trying to elevate himself to the spiritual nature and go back home, back
to Godhead, for him, looking toward material possessions and women for sense gratification—
not even enjoying them, but just looking toward them with such a propensity—is so condemned
that he had better commit suicide before experiencing such illicit desires. So these are the
processes for purification.”

I was completely baffled by this statement and I inquired submissively from Maharaj
that I have to commit suicide every second of my existence. Maharaj gave a profound
realization to this statement: “The moment we endeavour to control this thinking propensity
is itself a suicide because it is so difficult to endeavour to control the propensity of experiencing
such illicit desires. It is a struggle and we have to do this.”

In Srimad Bhagavatam 5.11.17, Jada Bharata Maharaja confirms the powerful nature of
the mind and how to get freed from the service of mind.

bhrätåvyam enaà tad adabhra-véryam


upekñayädhyedhitam apramattaù
guror hareç caraëopäsanästro
jahi vyalékaà svayam ätma-moñam

“This uncontrolled mind is the greatest enemy of the living entity. If one neglects it
or gives it a chance, it will grow more and more powerful and will become victorious.
Although it is not factual, it is very strong. It covers the constitutional position of the

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soul. O King, please try to conquer this mind by the weapon of service to the lotus
feet of the spiritual master and of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Do this with
great care.”

1) First weapon is to neglect the mind.


2) We should be expert in disobeying the mind’s orders.
3) Gradually the mind should be trained to obey the orders of the soul.
4) As given by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, we should beat the mind with
shoes many time before going to sleep.
5) Very strictly abide by the orders of the spiritual master and engage in the Lord’s
service.

Srila Prabhupada puts a very powerful punch statement that even if you are not able to
do all of these above five things just simply follow the fifth one and you will be successful
- “If one abides by the orders of the spiritual master by the grace of Krishna, he is freed
from the service to the mind.’’ This is the only way of purification of mind.

4. Purification of Intelligence – Vishuddha Buddhi


Maharaj gave a wonderful insight to this aspect of purification of intelligence by
remembering the shloka from Srimad Bhagavatam 1.6.7:

éçasya hi vaçe lokoyoñä därumayé yathä

“The world is under the full control of the Supreme Lord; therefore everyone is like
a wooden doll in the hands of a puppet master.”

Maharaj statement on Vishuddha buddhi is worth remembering again.

1. Everything animate or inanimate helplessly follows the order of Krishna. This


buddhi is vishuddha buddhi or purified intelligence. Those who understand this
transcendental fact of the full control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are not
stuck anywhere in the material world because in any situation they think that it is
under the control of Krishna. If He wants, what can we do? That is how we are completely
out of anxiety, out of petty differences. That is the purpose of Bhagavatam - to clear our
intelligence.

2. The main symptom of vishuddha buddhi is ‘ishasya hi vashe loko’- the world is
under the full control of the Supreme Lord. This one principle, if we can remember
from the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam, our intelligence will become clear. The material
matters should not be an impediment to our devotional service. They are an impediment
because of our differentiation attitude. We differ with each other. That is sämänya buddhi.
Whereas common sense demands that there should not be any differentiation. It is
depending on the principle ‘ishasya hi vashe loko’. Everything is alright. In Gujarati,

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

there are three words - fäv se, gam se, cäl se - they mean that- for me everything is
good, I like everything and anything is alright. This is viçuddha buddhi.

3. Contaminated Buddhi creates anxiety. If you do not have this type of intelligence
depending on ‘éçasya hi vaçe loko’, any other buddhi is contaminated and contaminated
buddhi will unnecessarily cause anxiety to us and that is the nature of contaminated
intelligence. Contaminated intelligence means personified anxiety and the whole world
is completely misguided regarding these things. There is more and more contamination
day after day. Nobody tries to purify. That is why anxiety never leaves us. As soon as
anxiety takes grip over our whole being, our being (body) gets diseased. Only if we are
out of anxiety, our sleep is unbroken and our behaviour is not that fanatic.

Somehow or the other we have to come to this viçuddha buddhi. Otherwise the
contaminated intelligence creates hell for all the living entities around us. If we do not
follow the Vedic principles, we are destroyed and the contamination increases. Because
the cloth is clean, it is surviving. As soon as it becomes dirty, if it is not washed, then it
will again tear because of contamination and that is what is happening regarding the
present society. The contamination is so much increasing and it is torn here and there.
How many patches we can put? So the cleaning process should be here for vishuddha
buddhi. And the process is given by Srila Prabhupada in a simple way that without much
endeavour we can clean the society. Before we clean the society we must clean ourselves
first. And for this we have to remember only one thing. In the whole of Bhagavatam if
you want to remember one sentence please remember this sentence. – ‘éçasya hi vaçe
lokoyoñä därumayé yathä’. That is it. Nothing more and nothing less. Our behaviour is
that we are stuck from corner to corner, and as soon as we try to understand the Supreme
Transcendental Controller, we are completely off the worry. That is the main result.
Any problem and this sentence will relieve you. The whole world is helped by this one
sentence and it is Srila Prabhupada’s diagnosis.

We conditioned living beings by nature are rebellious to this principle and so it is not so
easy for us to accept. Because of this non-acceptance of this vishuddha buddhi we struggle
in our material existence and get stuck with so many things and we are unable to progress
even an inch in our spiritual pursuits and we become like stagnant water and become
stinky. We tend to freak out and create havoc because of contaminated intelligence and
it is very important that this statement should be read day in day out and understand
the guiding principle behind it. We have to be on guard on this aspect if we really want
accelerated progress in our devotional service. It is easy to offer to Granthraj but practising
it is very difficult. Even then we should make an attempt to apply this principle in a
limited way at least to get purified.

5 & 6. Speech and Consciousness


For purification of speech and consciousness we have to refer to the wonderful verse
spoken by Maitreya Muni in 3.6.36:

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Purification of Existence

tathäpi kértayämy aìga yathä-mati yathä-çrutam


kértià hareù sväà sat-kartuà giram anyäbhidhäsatém

“In spite of my inability, whatever I have been able to hear [from the spiritual master]
and whatever I could assimilate I am now describing in glorification of the Lord by
pure speech, for otherwise my power of speaking would remain unchaste.”

Maitreya muni was so fortunate that he was personally present in front of the Lord
along with Uddhava and heard the direct instructions coming from the Lotus mouth of
the Lord. This statement expressed by him shows his wonderful quality of humility.
Maitreya Muni starts speaking to Vidura from third canto fifth chapter and to the end of
fourth canto. But Maitreya Muni was emphasising one point that inspite of his inability
he wants to glorify the Lord according to his intelligence (yathä mati yathä shrutam)
and his submissive hearing or otherwise his power of speech would become unchaste.

Prabhupada in his magnanimous wonderful purport elucidates complete purification of


existence by including speech, consciousness and everything by simply preaching the
glories of the Lord. - The purification of the conditioned soul necessitates purification of his
consciousness. One should not become unchaste by stopping the activities of pure consciousness.
If the activities of pure consciousness are stopped, certainly the conscious living force will be
otherwise engaged because unless engaged the consciousness has no standing. One must
attempt to engage one’s bodily, mental and verbal activities in the transcendental glorification
of the Lord, otherwise such activities will remain unchaste and impure. The existence of the
conditioned soul can be purified only by the method of engaging mind and speech in the
service of the Lord.

In these days of instant food and instant cooking, we see Srila Prabhupada in this purport
gives the complete purification of existence of body, senses, mind, intelligence, eating,
speech and consciousness by simply preaching about the glories of the Lord. If you
have to preach for one hour then the following things has to be done by us inevitably.

1. You have to study for at least 6 to 7 hours, if not that, at least nityam bhagavata sevaya
is a must. Body and senses are purified.

2. You have to churn your mind and intelligence to understand and assimilate the studied
content to give to the hearers nicely which implies mind and intelligence is getting
purified.

3. Because of speaking in the class, your speech is purified and in order to think and
speak your consciousness also gets purified automatically.

4. Once you study Srimad Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-Gita which emphasizes more on


soul conception than bodily conception you will automatically eat only Krishna prasadam.
Also eat frugally. So there is purification in eating.

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So it is so important that we must attempt to preach the glories of the Lord and attain
complete purification of existence. Also in the pages of Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna
Himself says that no one is more dear than the one who preaches His message and also
He guarantees pure devotional service.

With all these offers by the Lord and His pure devotees if we don’t attempt to preach
then we are the ultimate loser. Our tendency is that I will retire from service and study
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam in full and then start preaching. By the
time we become 60 we may be alive or not and even if we are alive we may have the old
age symptoms and disease and therefore it is mandatory to take up the process of
preaching immediately before we fall down dead (turnam yateta na patet anu mrtyuhuh
yävan). Procrastination of preaching is a sign of ignorance and in no way we can
enter Vaikuntha. Prabhupada writes further about the glories of preaching in his
wonderful purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 7.6.24, 7.14.40 and 7.14.42 to guarantee
our purification of existence.

SB 7.6.24:
1. The Lord will immediately be extremely satisfied with one who engages in this service of
preaching Krishna consciousness.

2. If one sincerely tries his best to spread Krishna consciousness by preaching the glories of
the Lord and His supremacy, even if he is imperfectly educated, he becomes the dear most
servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

3. Preaching is the easiest way to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

4. By preaching without discrimination we do the best service to humanity and thereby the
mission of one’s life is fulfilled.

SB 7.14.40
If one wants to be recognized by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he must preach the
glories of the Lord.

SB 7.14.42
The brahmanas preach the cult of Krishna consciousness all around the world, and therefore,
although they worship Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord also recognizes
them as worshipable.

How much more the Lord and His devotees could emphasise on preaching and if we
don’t preach then we are the real losers. Our tendency is that someone will preach,
someone will do various devotional service then someone will go to Vaikuntha and we
have to stay back. As Maharaj says preaching solidifies our knowledge and also we are
out of the modes when representing the conclusions of the scriptures. In order to preach
we have to sit and study which is the most difficult part and we start envying the

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preachers and thereby our devotional service is becoming bankrupt. Instead of


grumbling, envying and moaning, we should take up the process of preaching with
firm determination and give up the contemplation of being unfit (vigata viklava) and
start attempting to glorify the Lord with sincerity and devotion.

- Sajjanapriya Krishna das, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Peace, Opulence and Bliss


Many of us have heard the wonderful explanations and realizations given by our
beloved Guru Maharaj on the song ‘Jaya Rädha Mädhava’. I was fortunate to hear
one of them and I have tried my best to transcribe the same for all our pleasure. I can
never convey the mood of Maharaj through my writing which is full of inebrities and
I very much apologize for the same.

“The kirtans we sing must not be converted into rituals. The importance of feelings
when we sing the kirtans is well understood if we understand one supreme truth. Every
one of us without exception has to face Yamaraja as our lives are full of sins. Because we
have chanted the holy names a bit here and there, we hope that like Ajamila, Vishnu
dutas will arrive. We have seen so many people passing away. Some people pass away
very calmly and comfortably. They don’t feel anything. It is just a gradual change. Some
people have to struggle. The end must be very comfortable. This is our endeavour and
where there are the names of Krishna, being non-different from Krishna Himself, they
should spread the peaceful attitude throughout the whole of our life. Passion should be
decreased completely to the minimum except that we are showing passionate mood in
the service of Krishna. In service we have to be active. As soon as we chant the
Mahamantra or a few lines of the kirtana, all peace is pervaded. The names of the Lord
being completely transcendental, they do not have any material inebrities in them. The
three modes of material nature are completely absent. We are following this culture for
the past 25 or 30 years and now is the time our devotional service should mature.
Maturity must be exhibited and by understanding these things we can very well exhibit
maturity. Even without understanding, the kirtan gives us peace.

We sing the kirtana, ‘jaya rädhämädhava..’ We are very clear in mind that the glorification
is the monopoly of the Supreme Absolute Truth. We can never have glorification. We
are completely consumed and contaminated by the three modes. Somehow or the other,
the major part of the day we should try to come out of the modes and the only way is to
glorify the Lord through these kirtans.

We sing ‘jaya yaçodä nandana..’ and the literal meaning of ‘Yaçodä’ is one who gives us
fame. ‘Yash’ means ‘fame’ and this is one of the opulences of the Supreme Lord and this
opulence, we can never have unless we have unflinching faith in the process and thereby
in Krishna. We must cultivate unmoving faith. Our constitutional position being parts
and parcels of Krishna, there is no other way but to serve the Absolute Truth. We may
have any one of the relationships with the Lord out of the five relationships - çänta,
däsya, sakhya, vätsalya and mädhurya - all these relationships can very well be realized
just by being peaceful. That is the first relationship.

As soon as we see His energies, unknowingly we become peaceful. Suppose we see the
mass of water, in beaches, we feel the peace. There is no reason why we should go there
but everybody loves to go there. Somehow or the other we are attracted because the
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Peace, Opulence and Bliss

mass of water is His energy and not only that, when we deeply think about it, the sea
appears calm and this increases our calm attitude. As soon as this calmness is introduced
in our lives, nothing disturbs us, and any situation we face, we are cool and there are no
ripples in our lives. The unnecessary ripples are caused by the lower modes. There are
millions of combinations of the three modes and almost non-stop they trouble us. And
every time we have to keep them quiet. This is a continuous endeavour. Srimad
Bhagavatam says, ‘gåëataç ca sva-ceñöitam’. We accept by our own endeavour.

‘Yashoda’ gives us unparalleled fame and every living entity is struggling for that. I want
to be famous; you want to be famous but we do not know that this opulence is given by
Mother Yashoda. And why is this opulence given by her? Because she is the mother of
Krishna. And we very well know from our experience that a cow can only produce a
calf. Hog will produce hog. Equal species can have the same type of children of the same
species. Yashoda must be belonging to Krishna’s species. Unless she is Krishna’s species,
He will not accept her as His mother. And Krishna’s species means sat, cit and anand.
Eternity is there. Complete knowledge is there and because eternity and knowledge are
there, the third thing is bound to be there and it is bliss.

There is an ocean of difference between happiness and bliss. All the living entities who
are completely and constantly in touch with Krishna, through His names, through Srila
Prabhupada’s literatures and through so much other spiritual infrastructure, their ‘yash’
or fame increases. We may have riches but riches and opulence are completely different.
We may own so many material things, but opulence means that with all these facilities,
we are unflinchingly attached to the devotional service of Krishna. This devotional
service is non-different from Krishna. In the spiritual world, the process and the goal
are the same. We are discussing about Him and He is very well present here and that is
why we are keeping quiet and listening. Real opulence means we are saturated with
Krishna and this comes by undeviated attention (ananya cetäh satatam) and this gives
us the opulence of fame. But the conditions required are very serious. In Srimad Bhagavad-
Gita 8.14, the Lord says,

ananya-cetäù satataà yo mäà smarati nityaçaù


tasyähaà sulabhaù pärtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaù

“For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of
Pärtha, because of his constant engagement in devotional service.”

Each word in the verse being Krishna Himself is very very potent. Our mind has two
qualities. Flickering (cancalam) and unsteady (asthiram).We have to make it steady.
Enough of monkey behaviour we had. Now is the time to make it steady. The mind
must cooperate with us. As soon as the mind cooperates with us, and we have unflinching
faith in devotional service, then that will force us to be completely steady and peaceful.
We are not disturbed by the ups and downs of life. Always there will be some waves of

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the modes of material nature, but people who are unflinchingly attached to devotional
service are not affected, and this is the opulence.

Whether we have riches or not, we forget one thing. The rich person also has the material
body. That we do not see. We see only his riches and we are completely mistaken and
think that he is opulent. He is not opulent. He has got the material body and those who
have accepted material bodies, have to undergo 7 problems at least, if not more. The
seven problems are those of birth, death, old age, disease, adhyätmik miseries, adhibhautik
miseries and adhidaivik miseries. All the conditioned souls undergo these problems and
riches do not make any difference. But if the living entity is opulent, the seven things
also don’t trouble him. Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.49 explains:

dehendriya-präëa-mano-dhiyäà yo
janmäpyaya-kñud-bhaya-tarña-kåcchraiù
saàsära-dharmair avimuhyamänaù
småtyä harer bhägavata-pradhänaù

“Within the material world, one’s material body is always subject to birth and decay.
Similarly, the life air [präna] is harassed by hunger and thirst, the mind is always
anxious, the intelligence hankers for that which cannot be obtained, and all of the
senses are ultimately exhausted by constant struggle in the material nature. A person
who is not bewildered by the inevitable miseries of material existence, and who remains
aloof from them simply by remembering the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, is to be considered bhägavata-pradhäna, the foremost devotee of the Lord.”

Other living entities are baffled with the material conditions of life. People go for plastic
surgeries and so many other ways to maintain their youth look. But the material
arrangements fall short of removing these 7 miseries and as soon as we realize this, we
don’t run after the fixing of muscles. That is not our business.

As soon as we understand that the miseries are the inevitable nature of material existence,
we are completely at peace with these things and there is ‘nandana’- bliss. As soon as we
become peaceful and blissful in our own condition, that is the starting point of realization.
That is where Krishna appears. Krishna is very pleased with you that whatever we are
punished, we have accepted it. Krishna says, ‘This is the candidate. He has learnt to be
immune to the difficulties. Now I must come to him.’ He comes in the form of different
saints and sages and that living entity tries to be austere and that is ‘vraja’.

Those who walk and do austerities, those who sit or sleep on the floor and committed
to the austere life, are all ‘vraja jana.’ As soon as we are committed to austerities, Krishna
becomes ‘Vraja jana ranjana’. He becomes pleased and interested in us.

If we sing the ‘jaya rädhä mädhava’ kirtana with the above understanding slowly and
peacefully, then we relish His presence. It is called ‘näda brahmam’. – the sound

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Peace, Opulences and Bliss

incarnation of Krishna and this is the first touch of Krishna to us. Any line from any
bhajan, if we sing feelingly, Krishna accepts. He is ‘bhäva-grähé janärdana’. He takes
your attitude. He does not want anything else. He is supplying everything to us. He
wants ‘bhäva’ and this cannot be borrowed from anybody. This is self endeavour. The
more you endeavour to sing this bhajan only, eventually you will have ‘bhäva’. If you
are very serious to study a few verses from Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad
Bhagavatam, you will have that ‘bhäva’.

Krishna is called ‘uru svanah’ and He is already situated in the transcendental sound
vibrations. Where are you going to search for Him? As soon as we go to the temple and
stand in front of the Deities, we are awestruck with the beauty of the Lord and we have
no other idea in our mind and we don‘t speak any non-sense. We go to the Himalayan
range, Badrinath, Kedarnath and we are awestruck with His energies. As soon as we
realize Krishna through His energies, then the opulence starts and you are full of opulence.
Because you are full of opulence, you do not worry about the riches. Minimum we have
to have anyway and if that necessity is met, then we don’t hanker. This is the nature of
the devotee.

We are all situated in different statuses of prescribed duties according to our age and
liking. Doing prescribed duties nicely, gives us complete peace from the material side. In
addition to that we come home with a satisfied mind and then sing, ‘jaya yasoda nandana
jaya vraja jana ranjana…’ This bestows us all the opulences and that is why the devotees
are not easily disturbed.

In unfavourable circumstances, we should more deeply think about Krishna than about
anything else. Otherwise we flare up. Then the modes of material nature take control of
our mind. We don’t know what we are talking and to whom we are talking. Because we
are with Krishna (who is full of opulence), we are completely peaceful with the situation
and we have full faith in the maxims of Srimad Bhagavatam (1.13.41) ‘yad éçvara-vaçaà
jagat’. Every one is under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As soon
as you see Krishna in every situation, you are completely peaceful. This is ‘yash’ and it
is opulence. We may not have that much riches, but we can have plenty of opulence and
opulence is the real rich because we are always in connection with the Supreme Absolute
Truth. We must come to the conclusion that these matters are very temporary and are
in a passing phase. They come and go. If this is digested, then you have full faith in
Ishvara. Doubtful people lose their charm and beauty. We belong to that clan who is
completely blissful amidst the ocean of miseries.

We belong to the clan of Srila Prabhupada who was completely merciful - saàsäriëäà
karuëayäha puräëa-guhyaà. (SB 1.2.3) He came out of the country and toiled and moiled
so much for delivering us. We thank him day and night by again and again and again
and again going to his scriptures. As soon as you are blissful and opulent, all these
things will become clear in your mind automatically. It only depends on our endeavour.
Everybody must elevate himself or herself to come to this. That is why to come to this

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

level, we have to come out of the completely obnoxious atmosphere of millions of


combinations of the modes. Still we are not out of the modes. Daily we have to struggle
and then everything will be clear in front of our eyes. We are parts and parcels of the
supremely knowledgeable entity and He will definitely bestow His mercy upon us. Don’t
be in a hurry about these things. We have to raise ourselves to the platform of His
species and then we can try to understand. Only we have to struggle for the presence of
Krishna in our life. Presence is very much there when we try to utilise our time to
understand Him through Prabhupada’s literature. As soon as you go through
Prabhupada’s literature, the natural effect is that you are not troubled by the modes.
There is no shouting or screaming. We become a completely peaceful crowd. With
peace there is bliss and Krishna comes in our life and then our health never goes
wrong. Body may go wrong sometimes but we are healthy. We should never give-in
to concocted sickness. Because we don’t have patience, we become patients.

Srimad Bhagavatam gives us the real opulence and in the midst of miseries also, we are
seeing Krishna and we are not worried. It makes us accept the facts of life. We have our
foundation very strong. That foundation does not allow us to quit Prabhupada and
roam here and there. As soon as you commit that offence of quitting Prabhupada, even
Krishna will not tolerate and it is the bankruptcy of our devotional service. So please
save yourself and try to improve your living first by forsaking the modes of material
nature.

Krishna is a very active principle. He has to control unlimited living entities and universes.
How many minds have to be controlled? We are running after this highly active principle.
The more active we are, there will be no diseases at all. As soon as the prescribed duty
is over, be active in Krishna’s service and then blood will flow nicely. Thus understand
the root and purify your life through the root. Without wasting any time, increase your
awareness of these things and come out of the rut of the modes (gunormi cakram).

Krishna katha can only make you be at ease and then you will never be diseased. Peace,
opulence and bliss have their source only in Krishna kirtana.”

Param vijayate Sri Krishna Sankirtanam! All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev!

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

174
Elevation to Perfection
This is based on the wonderful class given by our dear Gurudeva in Singapore on the
subject matter of elevating our activities to religious perfection which will lead to
renunciation and finally culminating in loving service to the lotus feet of the Lord.
Maharaj was super excellently explaining the verse 3.23.56 from Srimad Bhagavatam:

neha yat karma dharmäya na virägäya kalpate


na tértha-pada-seväyai jévann api måto hi saù

“Anyone whose work is not meant to elevate him to religious life, anyone whose
religious ritualistic performances do not raise him to renunciation, and anyone situated
in renunciation that does not lead him to devotional service to the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, must be considered dead, although he is breathing.”

Maharaj dissected the verse very nicely as under

1. How our Karma (work) should elevate us to religious perfection.


2. How religious perfection should lead to renunciation.
3. How renunciation should lead to loving devotional service to the lotus feet of the
Lord.

1. How our Karma (work) should elevate us to religious perfection?


“In Bhagavad-Gita Krishna says in 3.5:

na hi kaçcit kñaëam api jätu tiñöhaty akarma-kåt


käryate hy avaçaù karma sarvaù prakåti-jair guëaiù

“Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from
the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not
even for a moment.”

Everyone is forced to act helplessly. In our body all the time blood circulation is going
on, kidney, liver, everything is working non-stop. There is no annual holiday for the
heart. Think the disaster if the heart decides to stop working. Krishna shows by His
personal example that even though He is nothing to gain, still He is engaged in
performance of duties. He states in Bhagavad-Gita 3.22:

na me pärthästi kartavyaà triñu lokeñu kiïcana


nänaväptam aväptavyaà varta eva ca karmaëi

“O son of Prthä, there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary
systems. Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I a need to obtain anything – and yet
I am engaged in prescribed duties.”
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

In the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, every day after the war is over, Lord Krishna will
come back and He will not take any rest. He will take care of the horses. What benefit
He is going to get by doing all these things? In the material world, we are all full of
fruitive tendencies and these tendencies will change slowly. Ours is a preaching institute
and we have to preach. By preaching, we solidify our knowledge and we should always
remember that the general mass/hearers not only hear us, they see us also. In America
a research was carried out on how people learn. By hearing, they learn only 3%, by
seeing they learn 25% and by association they learn 100%. We think I can go on speaking
and people will be hearing. If the realisation is absent and we don’t behave properly,
everything ends in a flop. The bubble is going to burst in the end. Unknowingly, because
of our fruitive mentality we want to grab everywhere. Greed is working subtly everywhere.
Sri Krishna clearly draws the line on the limited extent of sense enjoyment we can have
by the following verse in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita 2.64:

räga-dveña-vimuktais tu viñayän indriyaiç caran


ätma-vaçyair vidheyätmä prasädam adhigacchati

“But a person free from all attachment and aversion and able to control his senses
through regulative principles of freedom can obtain the complete mercy of the Lord.”

You are permitted to enjoy the senses (vishayän indrais caran). In the second line He
draws the line. This enjoyment is subject to the following two conditions:

1. Ätma vaçyaih –all the senses must be under your control.


2. Vidheyätma – Regulated freedom.

This is the speciality of the human beings. Otherwise there is no difference between
animals and ourselves. Animals do not know about ‘ätma vaçyaih’ and certainly they
don’t know about ‘vidheyätma’. If we follow these things, the result is ‘prasädam
adhigacchati’ - we get the mercy of Krishna. If we don’t follow, we don’t get the mercy
of Krishna. If you want to have the mercy upon you, this is the formula. We are not
allowed to do anything we like. Anything which does not agree with regulative principles
is always punishable.

‘neha yat karma dharmäya’ – Those activities which don’t follow these regulative
principles, they cannot lead you to religious perfection. Our activities must be so very
nicely arranged that every moment of our action also should lead us to religious
performance and the secret of that karma is 100% and more than 100% honesty. Honesty
must be there in the karma. Shirkers are rejected, workers are respected. Why are we
shirkers? Because we don’t know the art of foreseeing. How long we are going to work
we don’t know. That’s why we shirk our duties. All illicit activities are there. And
formerly in our young age Kali-yuga was there, but it was not Kali-yuga at all because
everybody was following this ‘ätma vasyaih vidheyätma’. The whole society was guided
by these two words. It was a very safe society. Everybody knew everybody. There

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Elevation to Perfection

were no illicit activities at all. Dishonesty was completely absent. Honesty was to
that extent prevalent that they were very satisfied with whatever they earned and
they had full faith in Krishna. Immaculate honesty must be there. We learn from the
pages of Srimad Bhagavatam that dishonesty or any other bad quality disturbs the
digestion. Any bad quality we follow, we are bound to lose our health.

We are all behaving exactly opposite to Srimad Bhagavatam and therefore we can’t
foresee. If you don’t foresee, how your karmas are going to be purified? In the olden
days people’s karmas were very nice. Everybody was sure that he will get his share of
income for sustenance. There was no competition what to speak of cut-throat
competition. This competitive attitude was not there and everybody had full faith in
Krishna. Electricity was not there. So there was no additional magnetic field and people
were peaceful. Now in the house we are not peaceful due to the presence of magnetic
field. What to talk of house, anything we eat is electricity. The chutney we eat is full of
electricity. In this situation it is very difficult to put Srimad Bhagavatam and Srimad
Bhagavad-Gita into practice. But there is no other way. That’s why diseases are increasing.
In our times there was only TB and Typhoid. There was no heart disease. Only one or
two rich people may have the heart disease. So there must be fundamentally something
wrong or otherwise why we get diseased with so many new diseases with unknown
names. One Dr.Coleman has written a book on ‘How to save yourselves from doctors
killing you’. In US they found out some drug and did not find any disease. They carried
the research on how this drug can be applied. They found out that children are restless
and they administered that drug to decrease inattentiveness. Instead of Srimad
Bhagavatam (which gives definite result) everyone goes after various medicines. Maybe
in emergency, we may have to take help of these medicines, but so far as possible we
should avoid and take the medicine of Srimad Bhagavatam.

The more you follow Srila Prabhupada you will not need anybody else. Please daily go
to him and he will lovingly guide you. He has the monopoly. He has done so much that
nothing is left to be done by anybody else. If anybody tries to do something, at the best
he has to copy him. To that extent, we are very lucky to be with his literature. He could
not take out his heart and put it in the books. He was not having any tinge of dishonesty.
The more you try to grab another’s possession, the more you will be diseased. We have
the innate tendency, if I will get something for free, I will take as much as possible.
Please try to avoid these things. If you don’t have anything to eat, don’t eat. But don’t
grab. To that extent we must be completely renounced. This attitude is not there, because
our activities are sinful. ‘na iha yat karma dharmäya’ is completely absent. Only one-
fourth of the sloka, we are not able to follow. For good we have to come to our senses.
Ask this question “When are you going to come to the senses?”. It is getting late. Life is
as it is, very flickering. We are alive today, after 1 hour what will happen, we don’t
know. So, why to plan this and that ? We should be completely satisfied with our
situation, then our karmas will not have the dishonest tinge.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Honesty is the finest element ‘iha’ – ‘in this planet’. If your honesty is more than
100% in your karma, you can see the result. The best result is that you are completely
satisfied. That satisfaction will give you the nice feeling in your body by which you
will be able to inquire about the transcendence. Then we will know about the goal of
our life and what is to be done. The art of foreseeing will be there. You will be
relieved from your karma because of your honesty. By stopping the work, you will
never be relieved. Encourage people to perform karmas in this direction. This is the
way for religious perfection.

2. How religious perfection should lead to renunciation


As soon as the karma becomes completely purified and we become relieved from the
karmic reactions, then automatically dharma or religious perfection will be attained.
There is no need of separate endeavour. Karma should be performed in that way that we
are religiously going ahead.

Everything in this world goes up. In the hut, through the hole, all the atoms go up
through the sun rays. Whatever is here living/nonliving is attracted to Krishna because
everything is His energy. But we stop this tendency by our dishonesty and by shirking
our own duties. We completely destroy the whole thing. At the most what is likely to
happen? You may not be able to get money or you may not have vehicles/house. Why to
stay in three or five star apartment, just sleep under million stars with no money. We
should never endeavour beyond our capacity. If we have Rs.10, then we should try to
do what is possible with Rs.8, That is allowed. Over endeavour always puts you in
trouble. Our greedy/fruitive mentality always pushes us to over endeavour. If you want
to over endeavour, take Srimad Bhagavatam in your hand and do over endeavour. That
is allowed and you will be respected everywhere. In the worldly activities, over endeavour
is condemned.

It is better to quit the world than to create dishonesty everywhere. By not following
Srimad Bhagavatam we are killing ourselves and we don’t know that. Why Krishna has
given these instructions ? He knows because He has created the planet. This planet is
manufactured by Krishna and He has given the booklet in the form of Bhagavad-Gita
and Srimad Bhagavatam and you will get the good results. But we are so very proud. As
soon as He rejects us there is no way to survive. As it is we are in difficulty. Don’t add to
your difficulties particularly by your dishonest behaviour.

Suppose we are to able to perform honest work then religious life begins, and such
religious life should lead to renunciation. We have double R (RR – 1st R for Religious
perfection and 2nd R for Renunciation). Religious life must naturally direct us to
renunciation. This stage is very difficult because by our nature we are attached. But
there is only one way that if you meditate upon transcendence, then sometime we will
be able to do it. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita 10.41:

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Elevation to Perfection

yad yad vibhütimat sattvaà çrémad ürjitam eva vä


tat tad evävagaccha tvaà mama tejo-’àça-sambhavam

“Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of
my splendour.”

So much of inconceivable energy and how much great He should be! We should always
think about the greatness of the Lord. Because we don’t strive for religious perfection,
we don’t have the tendency to think about Krishna. To just cultivate this tendency you
have to be very honest in the religious path. Otherwise you don’t have the peace to
think about Him. In no way, our peace of mind must be disturbed. We can’t have any
peace, unless we follow the recommended path given by scriptures. We try so many
ways but we are not peaceful at all.

Maharaj was quoting a beautiful verse from Mukundamala-strotra (verse 14), regarding
the supreme greatness of the Lord.

påthvé reëur aëuù payäàsi kaëikäù phalguù sphuliìgo laghus


tejo niùçvasanaà marut tanu-taraà randhraà su-sükñmaà nabhaù
kñudrä rudra-pitämaha-prabhåtayaù kéöäù samastäù surä
dåñöe yatra sa tärako vijayate çré-päda-dhülé-kaëaù

“Once our Saviour has been seen, the whole earth becomes no greater than a speck of
dust, all the waters of the ocean become mere droplets, the totality of fire becomes a
minute spark, the winds become just a faint sigh, and the expanse of space becomes
a tiny hole. Great Lords like Rudra and Grandfather Brahma become insignificant,
and all the demigods become like small insects. Indeed, even one particle of dust
from our Lord’s feet conquers all.”

We are all on the tottering platform of running after fruitive works. Understand the
power of the holy names. Nobody was preaching in the past but everybody knew about
Krishna’s greatness. In Kali-yuga we have to convince our mind about the greatness of
Krishna. So again the scriptures are there. Please confirm your own self and make your
faith very strong in Krishna and that is required for renunciation. Otherwise you will
never renounce. There will be so many tricks of the mind to hold on to our possessions.
Till we are alive we may possess something. As soon as we are dead, people will inquire
about our deposits. Living entities grab. To avoid these things, it is better not to have
anything, or otherwise be magnanimous. It is easy to say, but difficult to follow. But
without this there is no other way. Whether you are stingy or magnanimous, you will
be forced to leave everything and that is the art of foreseeing. So before time affects us,
please come to the serious study of scriptures. There is no way to avoid time except
devotion. Death does not approach us means, your body will have to go, but you will be
at ease and not baffled.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Krishna is so great that with a spark He is maintaining the whole manifestation beyond
our power of expression. Hence He has to be experienced. This experience will be there
when there is meditation on His holy names. By thinking about the greatness of the
Lord, He will make us ignore the material formalities or otherwise to chant the
names of the Lord in the roads is not possible. We should realize our limited capacity
and be humble.

3. How renunciation should lead to loving devotional service to the lotus feet of the
Lord?
Once we understand the greatness, we are attracted to Him, and we start worshiping
Him. Once this idea is completely fixed in our mind, worship is there. There is no
carelessness in renunciation. Everything must be performed immaculately. Prescribed
duties must be performed. Don’t look for fruitive results. This tendency will give the
renunciation. Worship will follow. Otherwise “jivann api mrto hi sah” - “Although
breathing we are dead.” Don’t follow this. In the end complete satisfaction will be
there. Always see that whether the activity is satisfying yourself and other living
entities.”

Thanks to H G Devakinandan Prabhuji, who gave us this Video CD nectar of Srimad


Bhagavatam flowing from our beloved Gurudeva’s lotus mouth or otherwise it is not
possible to share this rare nectar.

- Sajjanapriya Krishna das, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

180
How to Transcend?
In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 2.3.12 it is stated:

jïänaà yad äpratinivåtta-guëormi-cakram


ätma-prasäda uta yatra guëeñv asaìgaù
kaivalya-sammata-pathas tv atha bhakti-yogaù
ko nirvåto hari-kathäsu ratià na kuryät

“Transcendental knowledge in relation with the Supreme Lord Hari is knowledge


resulting in the complete suspension of the waves and whirlpools of the material
modes. Such knowledge is self-satisfying due to its being free from material attachment,
and being transcendental it is approved by authorities. Who could fail to be attracted?”

To understand this transcendental knowledge we have to transcend. How?

H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj had told in one of his lectures in Rajkot, “Transcend
is to go over. Just like a vehicle on the road is controlled by traffic signal of red, green and
yellow we are controlled by the three modes of nature. Where as a helicopter is above the
signal, so we have to catch the helicopter of devotional service. And for this we must regulate
our activities. Srila Prabhupada has given us a perfect daily routine to do our sadhana by
following the four basic regulative principles based on the four pillars of spiritual life.”

No illicit sex - to be clean [with body, mind and words]


No intoxication - to be austere [to take what is needed without greed and cruelty]
No meat eating - to be merciful [meateating cause ones kindness to fade away]
No gambling - to be truthful [to be honest]

In this Kali-yuga only by following this, one can become kind, tolerant, humble, self-
controlled and peaceful. This will help you to chant properly and offenselessly.”

Srila Prabhupada mentions in the purport of the above verse, “The first-class devotee of
the Lord attains this stage by devotional service, but despite his loftiness, for the Lord’s
satisfaction he may play the voluntary part of a preacher of the Lord’s glory and dovetail all
into devotional service, even mundane interest, just to give the neophytes a chance to transform
mundane interest into transcendental bliss.”

Our beloved spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj, despite his age,
travels so much out of his causeless mercy just to elevate all of us. He has no demands
or expectations from us, rather he is more concerned that we perform our regular
prescribed duties like taking care of family and children, performing our work
immaculately and so on, so that we are well-placed and peaceful. He knows our
limitations and gives us only those instructions which we can follow along with our
mundane responsibilities. He often says, “Love your work, do your work immaculately
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

well, bring up your children in a devotional atmosphere and teach them theistic conduct-
that is Krishna consciousness.” This is how he transforms our mundane activities.

- Abhirakanya devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

182
How to Avoid Suffering in the Material Modes?
Everyone feels bewildered and anguished at some point of time because of dysfunctional
relationships. Dealing satisfactory with other individuals at all times requires wisdom
and in the Bhagavatam verse 4.8.34 the formula is given for avoiding suffering in the
material modes by acting properly in our relationships. His Holiness Mahavishnu
Goswami Maharaj gave a discourse on this verse, on Saturday 29th December, 2008,
in Rajkot and in the following I will convey the points from this lecture as I understood
them.

guëädhikän mudaà lipsed anukroçaà guëädhamät


maitréà samänäd anvicchen na täpair abhibhüyate

“Every man should act like this: when he meets a person more qualified than himself,
he should be very pleased; when he meets someone less qualified than himself, he
should be compassionate toward him; and when he meets someone equal to himself,
he should make friendship with him. In this way one is never affected by the threefold
miseries of this material world.”

“Our every endeavor is to keep the body in working order, then we can utilize it for self-
realization. A healthy body earns Lakshmi easily for maintenance. Every Vedic instruction
is meant for keeping a healthy body for the purpose of self-realization and bodily
maintenance. Vedic instructions are in other words healthy attitudes. In dealings with
superiors, those who are inferior and equal to us, we should cultivate the following
healthy attitudes:

1. Superior - When we meet with a superior, a superior means one who is more
knowledgeable, elder or richer than ourselves, then we should be happy. Happiness
means that every follicle of hair on the body becomes blooming. If one is happy, then
the whole body is happy and the blood circulation flows nicely.

2. Inferior - Pick up those who are inferior, if nothing else one can request them to
chant.

3. Equals - Equals should be friends. Friendship means that we go happily along together
and that there is no ill will. Take for example medical students who study nicely together.

The material attitudes towards others are opposite to the healthy Vedic attitudes.
Generally if we meet the following three types of people the following material attitudes
follow:

1. Superiors - We are envious.


2. Inferiors - We kick them and disrespect them.
3. Equals - We compete with them.
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

This is why people in general suffer in the threefold miseries. Everybody wants to
reduce the suffering, but they do not want to follow the formula for reducing suffering.
And the general public, being ignorant of the simple Vedic formulas, they try to find
out some ways to be happy. For example they may buy a new car to reduce the
suffering and the result is that they are entangled in its complexities:

1) They have to find money to buy the car or take a loan


2) Aquire the driving license
3) Buy the petrol
4) Pay the taxes
5) Repair the car, and so on and so forth.

In the end, instead of reducing their suffering they become more miserable. Every verse
in the Bhagavatam gives simple clues how to reduce the suffering, if we ignore these
clues the suffering increases. These instructions are meant for everybody, it is not
sectarian. These points should be revealed to the public and magnified, so they can
understand the simple, saintly behaviour.

To focus on our sadhana and go along smoothly with the society around us is the Vedic
lifestyle, which teaches how to behave with persons around and how to go to Krishna
very fast. Our sadhana must go on. Devotees may care or not care, however we go on our
way increasing our sadhana. The main flow of the river is toward the ocean. People may
go to the river to wash their clothes, wash their cars, take out the water, but the river
ignores all the different usages and even then continues the main flow. We are bound to
come across the different persons in the society. Try to excuse them by thinking ‘It
doesn’t matter’. People are products of their circumstances and their actions are governed
by the modes. This is how to safeguard our interest in going to Krishna and ignoring
success or failure in our so-called relationships. We nevertheless try our best to deal
with everybody really nicely.

Always remember the spiritual approach and the material approach. The whole thing
should be in the front of our eyes, and then try to present it in a simple and palatable
way for the public.”

- Tejasvi Krishna das, Denmark.


hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

184
How to Become a Devotee?
Recently I was listening to a wonderful lecture on Srimad Bhagavad-Gita verse 9.34, by
our beloved Guru Maharaj and I would like to share the transcendental messages for
the benefit of all the readers. In Srimad Bhagavad-Gita 9.34 Lord Krishna says,

man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru


mäm evaiñyasi yuktvaivam ätmänaà mat-paräyaëaù

“Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to
Me, and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.”

1. man manä bhava - Engage your mind in always thinking of Me:


“The mind, however hard we try, cannot concentrate on anything, what to talk of spiritual
matters that are not really visible to the skin eyes. Carma cakñu - eyes of the skin. As
seen from the following Srimad Bhagavatam verse 11.7.7, all that we see with our skin
eyes have no endurance.

yad idaà manasä väcä cakñurbhyäà çravaëädibhiù


naçvaraà gåhyamäëaà ca viddhi mäyä-mano-mayam

“My dear Uddhava, the material universe you perceive through your mind, speech,
eyes, ears and other senses is an illusory creation that one imagines to be real due to
the influence of mäyä. In fact, you should know that all of the objects of the material
senses are temporary.”

One sees so many things like his house, his wife, his children,etc. These are all
temporary. Krishna wants to divert our mind from all these things to His nature alone.
On the other hand, it is described in the pages of Bhagavatam that, mind being material,
will always show only material things. If I am a gold merchant, I will show you gold and
if I am a cloth merchant, I will show you cloth. Mind being material, presents material
things before you and everything here is bewildering. That is a fact. Unless we come to
this conclusion, our mind will never be diverted from material things. Whether we like
it or not, the conclusion is there. Material things which are visualized by mind and other
senses are very temporary in nature and are also destructive. Nobody can refute this.
Any material situation cannot solve easily the problems of birth, death, old age and
disease. In spite of so much advancement they cannot save us from these four things.
Mind being engaged in these conditions, it cannot see beyond. It only grapples within
these four things, and beyond that refuses to accept anything and all the worldly situations
being conditioned with these four problems, have no capacity to make us happy. This is
certain. Once a person visualizes the incapacity of material things to solve the unsolvable
problems of birth, death, old age and disease, then he or she may try to find out the
reality beyond. Param - something transcendental to this.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Fortunately we have the original source which dissipates this knowledge through
Vedic culture. The essence of all the Vedas is given in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita. Vedais
ca sarvair aham eva vedyo….Through all the Vedas, Krishna is to be known. This is
the conclusion of the Vedas. So our culture has the conclusion. Krishna is also Vedanta
krt- the compiler of the Vedas. So the Vedas are not written by a conditioned soul.
Those conditioned by birth, death, old age and disease, cannot present the reality.
The conditioned soul can present the conditional reality. But the actual reality has no
conditions.

Krishna was present before the creation, with the creation He is there, and after
annihilation of the whole show, He will remain. This is described in Srimad Bhagavatam
2.9.33:
aham eväsam evägre nänyad yat sad-asat param
paçcäd ahaà yad etac ca yo ‘vaçiñyeta so ‘smy aham

“Brahma, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation,
when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of
this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after
annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.”

This is the knowledge and then He leaves us to realize it. If we realize this knowledge
and put into practice, we will be happy. Otherwise we will be suffering. To the ratio you
put the knowledge into practice, to that ratio you are enjoying. There is no other way.
And that is why, our mind somehow or the other, with the different arguments given in
the scriptures by Krishna, has got to be convinced of the point. There is no other means,
we have to follow the way which he recommends, or otherwise suffer, as it is you are
suffering.

The whole world is full of suffering, full of defeat - paräbhavah tävad abodha jäto. We
are born in ignorance and that is why we are defeated all the time in this world. That
is why there is no gain or meaning in this world. Nayanpriya Krishna prabhu has got
a very nice explanation for WORLD - Walk Or Run, Lose Definitely. Whether you do
your work slowly and silently or you do passionate work, you have to lose definitely.
There is no gain in these activities. We may argue that people win. They have factories,
business etc. The more the material things you have, the more worried you are and
all your valuable time, which is allotted in this body for realization of the Supreme
Truth is wasted in managing the material things which are very temporary. So winning
in this world is a great loss. Instead a man who does not possess anything, does not
waste time at all. You are completely misguided regarding the winning point in this
world. Here win means great loss and loss is alright. A person who does not have
anything, can devote sometime at least for spiritual things. If we cannot do that, our
human existence is useless.

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How to Become a Devotee?

Except human being, nobody hoards. Pigeons want to eat the grains, but they do not
have a bag. They eat and go away. They do not worry for tomorrow. Nobody has got the
hoarding capacity except the man. We are the only greedy pigs. We go and take
whatever we need and then take something to hoard. These tendencies are driving us
away from the reality. We do not understand that Krishna is the root of everything,
the cause of all causes, the Supreme prime cause. We have completely overlooked it
and because of that we are suffering unsurpassable miseries. This is because we have
not diverted our minds to Krishna. He says, ‘man manä bhava’- ‘please become absorbed
in Me.’

2. bhava mad–bhakto - Become My Devotee:


We may pretend that ‘I am a devotee’. Frankly speaking we are not devotees. He is
devoted to us and not us to Him. We tell Him, ‘I want to go to America. You arrange.’
And He arranges. We want Him to be devoted to us. A devotee does not demand
anything. He works for the Lord’s satisfaction. That is devotion. We do not force Him
to work for our satisfaction. That is a real devotee. Only we should chalk out our
programs in the way He will be satisfied and not us. Srimad Bhagavatam tells us how
we can satisfy Krishna in verse 4.31.19:

dayayä sarva-bhüteñu santuñöyä yena kena vä


sarvendriyopaçäntyä ca tuñyaty äçu janärdanaù

“By showing mercy to all living entities, being satisfied somehow or other, and
controlling the senses from sense enjoyment, one can very quickly satisfy the Supreme
Personality Of Godhead, Janärdana.”

If we try to achieve the above three things, then He is satisfied. The devotee chalks out
his program according to

a) M- Merciful attitude
b) S- Satisfaction
c) C- Control of the senses

If we always remember MSC, we cannot go wrong at all. This is how we have to


become a devotee. This means we have to be devoted to Him. We are so very illusioned
that we want Him to be devoted to us and we claim that we are devotees. As soon as
we come to the real knowledge, our whole attitude to the material world changes. In
the material world we know that our minimum necessities have to be met so that the
soul and the body can be together to realize the Supreme Absolute Truth. Otherwise
we do not have any other business here. So that is our freedom. We are completely
free from hoarding and developing our economic situations. We do not want anything
and suppose something comes in our way, that should be used for Krishna in a merciful
attitude. This satisfies Krishna. There are innumerable instructions which help these
three things. But only these three principles have to be cultivated, and whatever
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

arguments are given in the scriptures, we should study to develop these three qualities
and we will see the end result is that He is satisfied. His satisfaction should be our
supreme goal. samsiddhir hari toshanam. We may be situated in our own prescribed
duties according to our qualities but the end result should be Hari toshanam.

I am sure that we are not short of minimum necessities. Maximum necessities means
artificial necessities and they will make you miserable in the world. Both ways they are
killing. Your body will not be alright and definitely your spiritual life will be destroyed.
Artificial necessities should not be increased. So far as possible, night work is to be
completely avoided. The night is not meant for work. It is only meant for rest. The
lights also should be very dim. Before night, whatever we should do, we should do.
Then take japa beads in your hand. There is no need to see anything. That is all. Please
try to follow these things. The whole Srimad Bhagavatam is surrounding around these
three things.

Those who try to follow these three things, they are dear to Him. Otherwise they have
to suffer their own actions. Those actions which we follow for Krishna’s satisfaction have
no reaction. As soon as you control your senses, your speech is completely controlled.
Bad words will never come out of your mouth. First the mind is contaminated and then
the mouth opens. Not to open your mouth for bad things means not to think about the
bad things. So we stop completely the thinking process of the worldly things. Any way
we cannot dictate anything in the world. Everything is going on according to the desire
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So why to meddle into Him? So just speak
minimum for the material things. Maximum should be Krishna consciousness. Our
tongue should only open for Krishna. Nothing else and that is the safest way to behave in
this world. Nobody will bang you saying that you are not talking anything else at all.

We are not interested in worldly returns. So if you are not interested in worldly returns,
naturally you will not exploit anything. If we want to increase the artificial necessities,
you have to grab. There is another difficulty in family life. You may try to be simple but
children may be captivated by illusory energy. So far as possible, try to instruct them to
be very simple. If you are lucky, your wife will cooperate with you. Otherwise no. But
whether there is cooperation or no cooperation, we have to die alone. So we have to
chalk out our own program in the family life also. All different mentalities are coming
together in a family. They should be pointed out to the root thing. Tell them what is
to be done and it is up to them whether to do it or not. But we have done our duty to
the best of our ability. In this way, take out always the essential things from the pages
of Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita and that is ‘bhava mad bhakto’.

3. mat yäji - Worship Me:


Our whole life should be His worship.

4. mäm namaskuru - Offer obeisances unto Me:

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How to Become a Devotee?

We should always throw ourselves before the deities. If children are trained from
childhood to do like this, the future generation will be safe. They should recite at the
moment some verses from Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam and
eventually they will be interested. These things have no limit. But worldly things we
should always put the limit. They are limited. All our banks and companies are limited
companies. They will not register without the word, “limited”. So they know that we
are limited. But here on the spiritual side, the study of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and
Srimad Bhagavatam has no limit. Study of scriptures and realizing them has no limit.
Please go on endeavouring on this side.

If you really want to be a dashing personality, do this. Otherwise, we are building


skyscrapers, this and that. In this way we are wasting our valuable time on things which
are not permanent and we are full of miseries. If Krishna willing, you have plenty of
riches, use it for Him. As it is, riches are not going to continue. Everything is changing
in this world. Whatever you are having today, just by hoarding it, the value decreases.
Inflation bites it. By just keeping it, we are losing it. Today we may be having so much
money. Tomorrow we may lose everything. In this age, the safest way is Krishna’s service.
Otherwise it is going to vanish. Again there is another risk. We may have so much
balance and we may die and what will happen to the balance? Somebody will pounce on
it. Considering all the above, we have to put into practise the following four things as
Krishna says:

man manä – Engage your mind always in thinking of Me


bhava mad bhakto - Become My devotee
mat yäji – Worship Me
mäm namaskuru – Offer obeisances unto Me

If we do these things, He guarantees ‘mäm evaisyasi’- ‘you will come to Me.’.

‘yuktvaivam’ means ‘Being so absorbed’. This is absorption. Mind is absorbed. Our whole
existence is absorbed. In our worship all our sense are absorbed. As soon as we are
absorbed like this, definitely we will go to Him.

‘ätmänam’ means ‘your soul’ and ‘mat paräyanah’ means ‘devoted to Me’. There is no
difficulty in devoting the soul. The soul is part and parcel of Krishna and is already
devoted. The soul is a tiny particle and the tiny particle has to be devoted to the supreme
particle. The result is that when the material faculties are absorbed in Krishna, the soul
is definitely going to be absorbed. There is no difficulty. But many times, we force the
material faculties not to absorb in Krishna and the soul is dragged into it. Soul is the
force behind. Force may be directed in the correct or wrong direction. Here the correct
direction is given. The four things we have to do are given. Mind is just like the engine
because it is the controlling sense. If the mind is absorbed, everything will follow just
like the compartments following the engine.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

The first line of the purport is very important to ponder over. “In this verse it is
clearly indicated that Krishna consciousness is the only means of being delivered from
the clutches of this contaminated material world.” The main contamination is lust
because of which we are entangled here. As soon as we accept the material body, we
have to be born, we have to die, we have to become old and we have to become
diseased and this is a great loss. Lust drags you to accept material bodies again and
again. We should come to our senses. Mind is the main thing and the best way to deal
with it is given in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita 6.26:

yato yato niçcalati manaç caïcalam asthiram


tatas tato niyamyaitad ätmany eva vaçaà nayet

“From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one
must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the self.”

There are also innumerable verses from Srimad Bhagavatam giving instructions on dealing
with the mind. Thus there is scope for unlimited research and this is the way to develop
and improve our lives for the better.”

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi , Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

190
How to Satisfy Krishna?
The following is a transcription of a Bhagavatam class given by H H Mahavishnu
Goswami Maharaj in Sri Sri Radha-NeelaMadhava Dham on December 9, 2008.

“Ashram doesn’t matter really, whatever ashram we are, we have to remember Krishna’s
words. In Bhagavad-Gita 4.13 it is stated:

cätur-varëyaà mayä såñöaà guëa-karma-vibhägaçaù


tasya kartäram api mäà viddhy akartäram avyayam

“According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them,
the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator
of this system, you should know that I am yet the nondoer, being unchangeable. ”

There is nothing wrong in changing the ashramas. But whichever ashram we are in, we
should follow Krishna’s words. Hari-toshanam should be in our sight always. Satisfaction
of Krishna is possible only by three things - Please remember this verse from Srimad
Bhagavatam verse 4.31.19:

dayayä sarva-bhüteñu santuñöyä yena kena vä


sarvendriyopaçäntyä ca tuñyaty äçu janärdanaù

“By showing mercy to all living entities, being satisfied somehow or other and
controlling the senses from sense enjoyment, one can very quickly satisfy the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Janardana.”

Krishna is completely satisfied if we follow these three things. We have to be completely


merciful to all living entities. It is very easy to realize. Reading scriptures or hearing
alone will not do. First we have to hear - shrnvan and then study - supatan. We are all
intelligent. Real intelligence is to go through the scriptures and try to find the practical
point for the young ones. They don’t understand at the moment. But we should chew
the scriptures for them nicely and guide them. Otherwise their life will be animal life.
Our responsibility is there that our young ones must be raised in nice Vedic atmosphere.

Our house must be converted into a temple. We may not be able to go temple daily.
But our house must be a temple. Otherwise as human being we are missing the point.
We have regulated our food habits by Srila Prabhupada’s mercy. Never touch eggs,
fish, meat. When the animal is dead - how can it give any strength or energy for you?
Dead body is dead body – rotten and full of poisons. How can it nourish us?Our
grains are alive. Rice, wheat grains have millions of living cells squeezed in them by
Krishna. It has nourishing effect. So children should be taught to be merciful to
animals and other living entities also. We should be merciful to everybody except
ourselves. Else we will get up at 10 am. We should get up at 3:30 am. We should not
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

eat anything that is not cooked in our house. This is the best way to save ourselves
from violence and disease. As soon as you become non-violent you don’t trouble
anybody, then your house becomes like Vaikuntha - otherwise you yell like anything
at each other even for a little misunderstanding. Shouting and screaming is there -
That is not the house. Please, our whole life should stand on this principle if we really
want to satisfy Krishna. Krishna is really satisfied if you are merciful to others, merciful
to the cows.

Nowadays we are not able to protect the cows. The cow is such a holy animal. Everything
is useful. Cow dung is the best antiseptic material - no need of any chemical powder.
When we were young, all our floors were covered by cow-dung. Cow-urine is the best
medicine. One lady, whom we know here, was suffering from cancer. Doctors advised
her for chemotherapy and said she would survive only for 3 months. But she didn’t go
for that. She came to this hospital started by Manikchand Group near Valsad - where
they treat all diseases using cow-urine and milk. She was treated with cow milk and
urine and she is normal. Previously her digestion was stopped, body was not functioning
at all. By the help of cow’s urine and milk she was brought back from death. I don’t
know how much more to insist on the mercy shown by cows to us. Nowadays we are
living in flats - no farm lands and so no way to maintain the cows. This is real suicide.
But we should have some cow protection centers. If Krishna gives excess money- please
grhasthas - some percentage at least you should spend for cows. The instructions of
Srimad Bhagavatam should be translated into practical life. Please interpret the message
and give the practical instructions to younger generation. Srimad Bhagavatam infiltrates
through the younger generation. Please remember this.

1. dayayä sarva-bhüteñu - Merciful To All Living Entities


“All those who hear Harinam sankirtan will definitely be liberated. Suppose you are
unable to protect the cows or maintain the cows, suppose you don’t have Lakshmi for
these things, don’t worry. Just do Harinam. That is the greatest mercy you can do for all
living entities. I was in London and I had never heard Hare Krishna Mahamantra there
- but when there was temple opening, Srila Prabhupada had asked the devotees to do
Harinam in the main streets of London in the morning and evening. I heard them and
was really surprised and then I came to know about them and was attracted. Like
this, so many people had come. They are residents of foreign countries. If not for
Harinam, we would have gone to something else and wasted our life in drinking and
eating dead flesh. This Harinam is real daya.

Don’t be victimised to the 6 enemies - käma, krodha, lobha, moha, madha, mätsarya
(lust, anger, greed, illusion, pride, envy). Be merciful to yourself and everybody and
never be victimised to excessive käm. Käm will lead to krodh. Kämis will be krodhis
also. Anger destroys us more than anyone else. Suppose I am angry with you, you are
not affected. But my chemical composition goes wrong. My heart has to cope up with
the wrong combination. As soon as you disobey Bhagavatam, that is disease for you. We
don’t know and then we go to the doctor and they play with our heart. They don’t know

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How to Satisfy Krishna?

that anti-Vedic life is the reason for the heart problem. They are completely ignorant
and fool number one. And if they can’t find anything, they simply say by-pass operation
and open the heart. There is nothing wrong with my heart. Actually it is a problem
with my behaviour. This is knowledge.

Unnecessarily don’t run. To keep the body in working condition is first responsibility.
For this digestion is required. There is one medicine for all ages - known in Ayurveda
shastra as vishwabeshajad - means universal medicine - that is ginger. We use it in our
food. Our food should be medicine and medicine must be our food. Ayurvedic doctors
at least know the ingredients of the medicines. These allopathy doctors don’t know
anything. They just prescribe according to the medical companies. If one medicine
doesn’t work - they try another and then another. Please learn to tolerate this illness. It
is actually Krishna’s mercy. Please come to Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. In
Bhagavad-Gita 2.14 it is stated:

mäträ-sparçäs tu kaunteya çétoñëa-sukha-duùkha-däù


ägamäpäyino ‘nityäs täàs titikñasva bhärata

“O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their
disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter
and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one
must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.”

maträ sparshäs tu kaunteya - all diseases are sensuous - like happiness and distress.
ägamä päyino - it comes and goes. So please tolerate. There are two types of sickness we
have to face - according to the time scale of the body; few of which could be cured
and few that have come to take us away. It cannot be cured however hard you try to
cure that. You will be failure.

So have full faith in Krishna’s curing. Krishna has created the body as a whole. Everything
created by Krishna has full curative ability inside. Especially nature’s cure is powerful.
So please keep quiet or just have ginger. If you don’t have fresh ginger, take dry ginger
powder and honey – it is very good for the stomach. If you are suffering from cold,
please take cinnamon and honey, Tulsi, etc. Don’t run after allopathy medicines. In
extreme case of emergency - like accident or something you may have to undergo
allopathy - but that too only for few days. Please take shelter of ayurvedic medicines
and this is how Krishna could be satisfied otherwise Krishna is upset. Don’t do that. Be
patient. When we go to hospital they call us patient (laughter). If Krishna is merciful,
He will select you. Now you people are selected by Him to be here. You have not come
here just by your endeavor- It is His mercy”

2. santuñöya yena kena vä - satisfied under all conditions


“In any condition you should be satisfied - santuñöa ena kena vä. You people are
intelligent. Whatever work you are doing please do it immaculately. Because you are
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

having continuous flow of money, you are able to sit and peacefully hear now. By
working very nicely you get out of the work and not by stopping it. So do your work
and be happy. There is very nice verse from Chanakya pandit:

santuñöa triñu kartavyah svadhäre bhojane dhane


santuñöa triñu na kartavyah svädhyäya japa dhänayoh

“One should be always satisfied with these three things - their spouse, the food, and
the amount of wealth they obtained. One should never be satisfied with these three
things - the amount of scriptural study, the amount of chanting and the amount of
charity they performed.”

Whatever wife or husband you get, be completely satisfied. Then there is no disturbance.
By changing partners you can never be happy. Every week, they change the partner in
the west. They are the most miserable ones. Please remember the scriptures....santuñöa
yena kena vä...this pleases Krishna. If you have full meal also fine, no meal also fine. So
many days you have eaten - what will happen if you don’t eat for one day or two?
Satisfaction is the best medicine for good living. Satisfied people, if you see their face,
you will understand; they don’t need to have a building or money for satisfaction.
Whatever Krishna gives, be happy. No hankering. You have some nice prasadam and
children are being maintained fine. That is enough. According to your previous karma
we get wealth. So don’t worry too much. You are going to get as per destiny. We try
hard to acquire qualification, do some business etc. But in the end look to Krishna. This
is the end of it. We are satisfied in any condition of life. In the following three things
never be satisfied: svädhyäya japa dhänayoh - scriptural study, japa and charity. Those
who give, get. By keeping the money in bank etc. money is going to reduce. Sannimite
varam tyägo - Chanakya Pandit very nicely says, “Whatever you have, you give it for a
good cause.”

3. sarvendriyopaçäntyä - sense control


There is so much to be discussed on this, but here I shall insist on the most important
sense to be controlled - our eyes. Try to habituate your eyes to be in control. It is the
main window through which the sin enters us. Open it only half, such that you can just
see the way. Do not open more than that. Always remember that those who are associating
with Krishna through His names, through books of Prabhupadji are all having their
appointment with Krishna. Never miss Krishna’s appointment. Japa, darshan are all
Krishna’s appointments. This is the way to satisfy Krishna. If our mind is focussed on
Krishna, then controlling the senses happens automatically.”

Let us sincerely endeavor to follow the simple and sublime ways which Gurudeva has
explained and satisfy the Lord to the best of our ability.

- Sudarshana devi dasi, Bangalore.


hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

194
Attaining Taste for Glorifying the Lord
The following is a discourse by H H Mahavishnu Goswami in May 2009 in London on
a series of verses from the tenth, eleventh and twelfth cantos of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
The verses illuminate how a person who is satisfied with whatever life brings him can
attain the complete mercy of the Lord. Satisfaction is the prerequisite for hearing and
relishing the glories of the Supreme Lord, and thus by following the directions of Maharaj
in how to remain satisfied in our situation we can enter into the realm of Srimad
Bhagavatam.

In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 10.52.31-32, Lord Krishna says:

santuñöo yarhi varteta brähmaëo yena kenacit


ahéyamänaù svad dharmät sa hy asyäkhila-käma-dhuk

asantuñöo ‘sakål lokän äpnoty api sureçvaraù


akiïcano ‘pi santuñöaù çete sarväìga-vijvaraù

“When a brahmana is satisfied with whatever comes his way and does not fall away
from his constitutional position or prescribed religious principles, those very religious
principles become his desire cow, fulfilling all his desires. An unsatisfied brahmana
wanders restlessly from one planet to another, even if he becomes King of heaven.
But a satisfied brahmana, though he may possess nothing, rests peacefully, all his
limbs free of distress.”

In dream also a truly satisfied person does not expect anything from anyone. Whatever
the living entities do or give to them, they are grateful to them. As long as we have this
material body the same fruitive mentality will be there in likes and dislikes. Because of
attachment to the body we are forced to dip into mode of ignorance. Thus we are
completely drowned in material existence.

If we expect and it is not supplied we are in distress. When one has nothing to expect
from anybody it means that one is peaceful. Ask Krishna for what you want, but don’t
expect anything from anybody. There is a difference between suggestion and dictation.
Suggestions we may put before the Lord, but dictation is left to the Lord. As long as
possible you should associate with the deities, and learn the proper behaviour towards
the Lord. We may not have sense gratification, but still we cling on with ideas of sense
gratification. This clinging must be finished. As soon as you are santosha - satisfied, the
clinging is finished.

Lord Krishna says in Srimad Bhagavatam verse 10.52.33

viprän sva-läbha-santuñöän sädhün bhüta-suhåttamän


nirahaìkäriëaù çäntän namasye çirasäsakåt
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

“I repeatedly bow My head in respect to those brahmanas who are satisfied with
their lot. Saintly, prideless and peaceful, they are the best well-wishers of all living
beings.”

For a satisfied person in Krishna conscious there is no enmity, everywhere there is


friendliness. Sincere efforts are there to improve our economic condition, but the result
should be left to Him. Once we have developed the santosha, satisfaction, we are eligible
candidates to enter into the realm of Krishna.

There are five things Krishna wants:

1: Satisfied with their lot


2: Saintly
3: Peaceful
4: Prideless
5: Well-wisher of all living entities

These five becomes SSPPW (Double-S, Double-P and W)

If you follow that, Krishna will be forced to bow down to you! So at any cost we should
follow these. We can do nothing – everything is under Krishna’s control. So let Him
execute His control and we will be satisfied.

1) sva-läbha-santushtän (satisfied and happy in all respects) - What is the meaning of


being happy? Being happy means that whatever you get you are satisfied. If you get
chappati you are satisfied, if there is no chappati you are satisfied.

2) sädhun (saintly) - Don’t look to what others are doing. If you want Krishna to bow
down to you, you have to be saintly.

3) suhrittamän - a saintly person is a natural well-wisher of everyone, because he is

4) nirahankär - prideless

5) shänta - then peacefulness follows

In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 11.14.16, Lord Krishna says:

nirapekñaà munià çäntaà nirvairaà sama-darçanam


anuvrajämy ahaà nityaà püyeyety aìghri-reëubhiù

“With the dust of My devotees’ lotus feet I desire to purify the material worlds,
which are situated within Me. Thus, I always follow the footsteps of My pure devotees,

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Attaining Taste for Glorifying the Lord

who do not expect anything from anyone, who are silent in material things, who are
peaceful, without any feelings of enmity, and of equal disposition everywhere.”

A person in Krishna consciousness is silent in material matters, but in spiritual matters


he is very open.

This verse is a description of santosh: - a person who is satisfied is

1) Nirapeksham – he doesn’t expect anything, that’s why


2) Munim – he doesn’t speak of anything else but Krishna, therefore
3) Shänta - he is peaceful
4) Samadarshanam - he is equipoised and therefore
5) Nirvairam - he has no enemies

So if you

1) don’t expect anything


2) are silent
3) are peaceful
4) are equipoised and
5) you have no enemies

- then the Lord bows down to you. When you are satisfied, the result of being satisfied
is that you do sankirtana, chant the glories of the Lord.

While summarising the topics discussed in Srimad Bhagavatam, Suta Goswami says in
verse 12.12.48:

saìkértyamäno bhagavän anantaù


çrutänubhävo vyasanaà hi puàsäm
praviçya cittaà vidhunoty açeñaà
yathä tamo ‘rko ‘bhram iväti-vätaù

“When people properly glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead or simply hear
about His power, the Lord personally enters their hearts and cleanses away every
trace of misfortune, just as the sun removes the darkness or as a powerful wind
drives away the clouds.”

Sometimes we may squeak the Bhagavad-Gita or Bhagavatam. Squeaking doesn’t have


any potency. In that situation also Krishna is very kind to the living entities. Krishna
enters the heart and cleanses our life. If we can force the living entities to hear Bhagavad-
Gita or Bhagavatam, or names of Krishna, kirtan chanting, they will be helped to clear
their life. That is why we follow the Harinamas and festivals, rathayatra. The purpose is
to force the living entities to hear the Harinama.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Suta Goswami further continues in SB 12.12.49:

måñä giras tä hy asatér asat-kathä


na kathyate yad bhagavän adhokñajaù
tad eva satyaà tad u haiva maìgalaà
tad eva puëyaà bhagavad-guëodayam

“Words that do not describe the transcendental Personality of Godhead but instead
deal with temporary matters are simply false and useless. Only those words that
manifest the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord are actually truthful,
auspicious and pious.”

We have to be serious about our own sadhana and from that everything will spring up.
Don’t worry keep on reading Bhagavad-Gita and Bhagavatam, have your own humble
altar and everything will be auspicious. In SB 12.12.50 he says:

tad eva ramyaà ruciraà navaà navaà


tad eva çaçvan manaso mahotsavam
tad eva çokärëava-çoñaëaà nåëäà
yad uttamaùçloka-yaço ‘nugéyate

“Those words describing the glories of the all-famous Personality of Godhead are
attractive, relishable and ever fresh. Indeed, such words are a perpetual festival for
the mind, and they dry up the ocean of misery.”

As soon as we chant feelingly the Lord’s names, we come to the Bhagavad-Gita and the
Srimad Bhagavatam. Eating gives puñöi - nourishment to the body, whereas bhakti gives
puñöi to body and soul. We may discuss for a whole day and not feel like taking prasadam.
The verse must be concentrated upon. For Bhagavatam there must be long time. Instead
we waste our time. How many hours, days, years have already gone? The more you can
do Bhagavatam, the other things will be arranged. Therefore we should make it a point
to do more of Bhagavatam and less of other things. Prasadam, the Lords mercy, will then
fill in through the ears, and past lamentation and future concoction will be finished. Like
this we should be in the present with Bhagavatam.

- Tejasvi Krishna das and Amoghadrk Krishna das, Denmark.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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This is How We Should Preach
The following is what I have written down from a short, but most valuable instructive
class with His Holiness Mahavishnu Gosvami Maharaj, on the Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1.15,
given in London, June 9th, 2008.

kecit kevalayä bhaktyä väsudeva-paräyaëäù


aghaà dhunvanti kärtsnyena néhäram iva bhäskaraù

kecit - some people; kevalayä bhaktyä - by executing unalloyed devotional service;


väsudeva - to Lord Krishna, the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead; paräyanäh
- completely attached (only to such service, without dependence on austerity, penance,
cultivation of knowledge or pious activities); agham - all kinds of sinful reactions;
dhunvanti - destroy; kärtsnyena - completely (with no possibility that sinful desires will
revive); nihäram - fog; iva - like; bhäskarah - the sun.

“Only a rare person who has adopted complete, unalloyed devotional service to Krishna
can uproot the weeds of sinful actions with no possibility that they will revive. He
can do this simply by discharging devotional service, just as the sun can immediately
dissipate fog by its rays.”

Going through the word to word equivalents, Maharaj immediately made an easy-to-
remember acronym for the translation of one important word in the verse, paräyanä -
”completely attached to devotional service without depending on APKP: Austerities,
Penance, Knowledge-cultivation and Pious activities.”

Maharaj explained the method of preaching: First learn the verse, then the word to
word equivalents and then the translation. Then study the purport. This is how we
should preach, so that it can be used in any verse. Recite slowly and clearly, so that the
hearers also will be benefited. This is the secret of preaching - so that they can know
what you are talking about. This is how we should preach. Learn the verse thoroughly,
and by that remembrance, remember the points from the purport. Otherwise, when we
speak, we speak just what´s on our mind. We should stick to Bhagavatam always.

Later when Guru Maharaj mentioned to us that he had called for his good disciple H G
Sarvaishvarya Krishna Prabhu to come over from America, and after hearing some of
his glories from Maharaj, I said, “It is good I get to know my Godbrothers, so that when
I get bewildered, I can call them.” Gurudeva most kindly immediately cut that ignorant
statement by saying that “illusion is not in our dictionary; because we are engaged in
unalloyed devotional service, we are never bewildered.”

Maharaj concluded by saying, “We don´t need anything. Just chant and read
Bhagavatam, that’s all. We can be anywhere, we´ll just chant and read Srimad

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Bhagavatam. If required, we can stay under a tree, just chanting and reading Srimad
Bhagavatam, we are happy.”

- Amoghadrk Krishna das, Denmark.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Protecting Ourselves from the Effects of Maya
The following is an excerpt from the lecture given by our Guru Maharaj H H
Mahavishnu Goswami on December 14, 2006 on Srimad Bhagavatam 11.7.4 at Sri Sri
Radha-NeelaMadhav Dham, Rajkot.

yarhy eväyaà mayä tyakto loko ‘yaà nañöa-maìgalaù


bhaviñyaty acirät sädho kalinäpi niräkåtaù

“O saintly Uddhava, in the near future I will abandon this earth. Then, being
overwhelmed by the age of Kali, the earth will be bereft of all piety.”

Gurudeva explains here, “Though, Lord Krishna withdrew His physical presence from
the earth, as a Supersoul He is present everywhere, and by His mercy only Kali is permitted
to reside on this earth. But Kali cannot enter into our heart and soul unless we allow it
to. As I tell you many times, Kali-yuga is just an excuse and to remain in Kali-yuga or
not, is in our hands even today. Since Kali is present here only by Krishna’s mercy we
have to understand clearly that Krishna is superior to everything and only by serving
Him alone, we can save us from all these nañöa-maìgalaù (inauspicious) activities.
Until and unless you do not understand your constitutional position you cannot get
away from any miseries. What we should never forget is that it is again always by the
mercy of Krishna alone that we are able to do whatever we are doing at present, otherwise
without His desire it is not possible to even think of taking a single breath. You have
to always and always thank Him for everything.

Whether we believe it or not, nature’s ratio is always working. Food for an ant and food
for an elephant is provided accordingly, everyday. Everything is done by Krishna’s
arrangement. What has to happen is destined to happen, changing the tracks of nature
is not possible but just as in rain we can cover ourselves from getting wet by using coat
or an umbrella, similarly we can cover ourselves from the effects of maya using the coat
or umbrella made from Krishna Bhakti.

Even in material work if we keep Krishna in the center, then it too becomes spiritual.
The confidential thing of this material world is that everything is going to go away. To
achieve any material product, whether you Walk Or Run - Lose Definitely (W.O.R.L.D.)
Nothing is permanent. As stated in purport of Bhagavad-Gita verse 2.40 by Srila
Prabhupada, “Material activities and their results end with the body. But work in Krishna
consciousness carries a person again to Krishna consciousness even after the loss of the
body.” It is clarified here that nothing else other than Krishna bhakti is permanent
because it is connected with the soul.

From this temporary world what we can steal away is the permanent devotional way
of glorifying Krishna, and this process can be learnt through Bhagavad-Gita and
Bhagavatam only. Anyone else changes or not, you change yourself. Have pity on
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

yourself and your soul at least, don’t allow it to wander into different bodies and
planets. Devotional service should be inter-woven in our everyday activities. Reading-
reciting-researching-practising and ultimately preaching Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad
Bhagavatam are the only ways of taking back our soul to where it belongs; back
home, back to Godhead.”

I beg for the blessings of Gurudeva to guide me so that I can satisfy my soul and help me
to sincerely devote my time in glorifying Krishna.

- Nayanapriya Krishna das, Rajkot.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

202
Envisaging Our Spiritual Existence
During his visit to Abu Dhabi in May 2009, our beloved Guru Maharaj was
emphasizing the importance of the last 18 verses of the second chapter of Srimad
Bhagavad-Gita. Maharaj was insisting that these verses should be recited before we
go to bed in the night and again as soon as we get up, we should be reciting these
verses. Srimad Bhagavad-Gita has emanated fro the transcendental throat of Krishna
and so it should be placed in our throats. Maharaj said that we should try to put as
many things as possible into practice. We should always keep the saffron colour in
our heart. Krishna likes saffron colour. If we do not wear saffron before death, Krishna
will wrap us in saffron colour. This happens because when the body is cremated the
flames of the fire are saffron in colour and this way Krishna wraps us in saffron.
Bhagavad-Gita gives us the right path which we should not miss and we should all
become bookworms of Bhagavad-Gita.

Maharaj gave a very wonderful explanation of the verse Bhagavad-Gita 2.55, I shall
try to post herewith a few of the points from his lecture.

çré-bhagavän uväca
prajahäti yadä kämän sarvän pärtha mano-gatän
ätmany evätmanä tuñöaù sthita-prajïas tadocyate

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O Pärtha, when a man gives up all varieties
of desire for sense gratification, which arise from mental concoction, and when his
mind, thus purified, finds satisfaction in the self alone, then he is said to be in pure
transcendental consciousness.”

“In the above verse, the word ‘mano-gatän’ is very important. It means mentally
concocted things. And Krishna says prajahäti - they must be avoided. It is an order
from Krishna. Krishna never requests. It is His command and we have to do it. When
we are very busy with so many activities, we say in Hindi ‘mein käm me hoom’. So we
are unable to do any seva or devotional service. Seva is always without käma. Really
if we want to elevate ourselves, we have to become desire-less. We have to cultivate
ourselves to become desire-less. That is the only way to stop the incessant flow of
desires. This can be achieved when we are completely satisfied with our material
situations, whatever is granted by Krishna. You are now in middle age and soon you
will end up with your waning years and dwindling will be there and then the final
stroke is bound to come. This picture should always be before our eyes. Daily the
time is working on everyone without exception. Everyone has a set time and within
that time, we are allowed to do whatever we want to do. This freedom should be
coupled with the instructions from Srimad Bhagavad-Gita. It is very easy to tell but
very difficult to follow. That which is worth following is always difficult. The scratch
is very easy to follow.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

1. Desirelessness
The first thing is that ‘kämän’ the desires must be completely under our control, if
not completely vanquished. This is very specific with regard to mano-gatän or mentally
concocted things. Our mind is very tricky. It will see so many suitable arrangements
to achieve the concoctions. Mental conditions are rejected in the ordinary life also.
‘Mental’ means ‘rejection’. How much it is necessary for spiritual progress? Srila
Prabhupada is very clear in the purport that desire cannot be stopped. It is the nature.
It is bound to come. But the objective of the desire must be changed. To fulfil our
material desires we are here and there is no need to hide the fact. After coming here
we saw that with everything available, we have to depend upon a higher authority or
Krishna to have the nice life. Mere hankering for the material pursuit will exhaust us.
‘Exhaust’ is a very nice word. Unless proper exhaustion is there, the car will not
move. You have to exhaust. You have to get out of the unnecessary things or issues
that entangle you in the material existence. That is needed. To get out of all this, one
line is enough - prajahäti yadä kämän sarvän pärtha manogatän. Desirelessness is also
expressed as complete dependence on Krishna’s will. Whether we depend or not,
we are dependent on Him. So it is better to voluntarily submit to Him. That is the
way to be desire less. As it is, the flow of desires is there. But if you desire for Krishna,
that is auspicious desire.

2. Bhakti is never inactive


Please carve in your mind that bhakti can never be inactive. We have taken bhakti as
inaction. This is mistake. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita 4.18:

karmaëy akarma yaù paçyed akarmaëi ca karma yaù


sa buddhimän manuñyeñu sa yuktaù kåtsna-karma-kåt

“One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men,
and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.”

This one verse puts us in the proper perspective. Again Krishna says in Srimad Bhagavad-
Gita 2.48:
yoga-sthaù kuru karmäëi saìgaà tyaktvä dhanaïjaya
siddhy-asiddhyoù samo bhütvä samatvaà yoga ucyate

“Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or


failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.”

Here yoga means bhakti yoga. Karma can never be stopped. The formula is ‘sangam
tyaktvä’ - leave the fruits. Anyway we have to leave the fruits. If you do that, then you
are inactive. You are active, but you are inactive. In karma you have to see akarma.
Inaction has no place.

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Envisaging Our Spiritual Existence

3. Leave the mental platform


Arjuna was on the mental level. That is why he was worried about kinsmen, relative
etc., He did not want to kill. That is why Krishna gives the instruction to Arjuna to
give up the mental platform. To finish our material duties we may have to come to
the mental platform. But we know that we are in the mental level. We are ‘awake’
meaning we are ‘alert’. We know what we are doing. In the mental platform we are
slaves of the mind. We do not want this slavish mentality.

We can see the example. I desire to have a sofa set. I have concocted that if I have a sofa
set, I can sit, my wife can sit and my kids can sit and we can fight comfortably. The
persons who see my sofa set, they think that I am sitting very comfortably and having a
very nice time. They do not know the fight that is going on. This is mano gatän. Then
loans are there; installments are there. Come what may, do not borrow or lend. Don’t
borrow at all. If you want to lend, give it away. Don’t ask them to pay back. These are
very important things. Now how to get out of the manogatän of sofa set? As soon as I
envisage my spiritual existence, sofa set becomes completely insignificant and negligible.
Then the whole market of the sofa set becomes a dream for me. Thus by satisfaction we
should place ourselves in the pure existence of the soul with the purified mind and that
is the way to leave the mental platform.

4. Be satisfied in your own spiritual existence


The way to leave the mental platform is to be satisfied in your own spiritual existence
with the help of the purified mind. Krishna says ‘ätmany eva ätmanä tushtah’. ‘tushtah’ is
very important. You have to be satisfied. We are alive today means we have to thank
Krishna. It is His mercy. He again and again gives us the days but it is all bound to end.
Krishna uses the word ‘eva’ which means this satisfaction in our spiritual existence has
to be certainly done. If we do this, then we have left manogatän – mental concoction
and also kämän - sense gratification. And we come to the spiritual existence. Body is
coming and going. Krishna says in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita 2.13:

dehino ‘smin yathä dehe kaumäraà yauvanaà jarä


tathä dehäntara-präptir dhéras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to
old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not
bewildered by such a change.”

This is not just the exercise of the mind. It is a fact. There is an ocean of difference
between mere exercise and fact. Facts never change whether we know it or not,
whether we believe it or not. If the facts do not change, then the instructions of
Bhagavad-Gita are must. So how can we leave Bhagavad-Gita? Somehow or the other,
the obnoxious mind must be forced to be attracted to the instructions of Bhagavad-

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Manogatän (mental concoctions) always leads to hellish
life. Money is never enough. We are never satisfied with the money we have got. We
have to draw a line somewhere. Being satisfied with whatever we have is one of the
important conditions to make Krishna happy. Srimad Bhagavatam 4.31.19 says:

dayayä sarva-bhüteñu santuñöyä yena kena vä


sarvendriyopaçäntyä ca tuñyaty äçu janärdanaù

“By showing mercy to all living entities, being satisfied somehow or other and
controlling the senses from sense enjoyment, one can very quickly satisfy the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Janärdana.”

We are always running after the bodily needs and this is not our way. To the minimum
extent we should be there. Our goal of existence is ‘ätmany eva ätmana tushtah’. Purified
mind will definitely help us to go to the spiritual existence. ‘sa vai manah kåñëapadäravinda
yoh’ As soon as Krishna is there, purification is there. We are all Krishna drunkards in
the PUB (Prabhupada’s Unlimited Bhagavatam). As soon as Krishna, Srimad Bhagavatam
and Srila Prabhupada’s name is there, there are no inebrities. No place is bad. Only our
objectives are bad.

The pure state of the soul is described as ‘sattvaà viçuddhaà vasudeva-çabditam’ - “When
a man is situated in pure goodness, he worships Väsudeva.” Krishna appears in the
viçuddha sattva state. That is why He is called Väsudeva. This is extra purified
auspiciousness (atimangala). It is this state which helps us to be at ease. ‘At ease’ means,
everything goes on and we pay more attention to the pure existence of the soul. This
process is not sectarian. It is eternal and applies to everyone. Just the four words ‘ätmany
eva ätmanä tushtah’ takes us out of the manogatän. If the soul is very pure, how much
purer the Supersoul must be? Purified mind will never be satisfied unless you come to
the extremely purified mind; Krishna. Eventually every verse draws us to the Supreme
Absolute Truth - satyam param dhémahi. It is our experience that in the material world
also, if a person is honest and true, we like him. Why is it that we like a man of good
character? These things prove that Bhagavad-Gita is beyond any doubt and that is why
it is supreme.

We all want to be situated in the pure state and for that how much our life must be
pure? Leave all the scratch. Anything you do apart from this is hellish. The whole life
program to take us to the spiritual existence is chalked out here and spiritual existence
is our monopoly. We can never be material. Manogatän life is hellish. The hellish life is
in front of us and there are different paths also. But everything falls short in front of
bhakti. In bhakti only, there is experience of the pure existence of the soul. There is no
‘purified mind’ injection to achieve this. You have to try and experience yourself. Every
soul has a pure existence. Every soul has a dirty mind. The mind has to be purified and
the way of purification is the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha mantra. Caitanya
Mahaprabhu instructs this in Shiksäshtakam and see how it cooperates with the

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Envisaging Our Spiritual Existence

Bhagavad-Gita principle! Caitanya Mahaprabhu is non-different from Bhagavad-Gita


principle. Those who stick to Bhagavad-Gita are like Krishna.

A grain of putting Bhagavad-Gita into practice is more important than tons of


knowledge of Bhagavad-Gita. Be steady with the last 18 verses of the second chapter
of Bhagavad-Gita.”

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Our Real Duty


On the auspicious occasion of Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra at Dwarakapuri Dham on
26th January 2009, our beloved Guru Maharaj gave a nectarean class in Hindi. This
posting is a humble attempt of transcribing the lecture as an offering unto our Guru
Maharaj.

“We should not waste our time. There is a good verse in the shastras in this connection:

kälakñepo na kartavyah kñéëam äyuh kñaëe kñaëe


yamasya karunä nästi kartavyam hari kértanam

“The precious time should not be wasted, because our lifespan is reducing every
moment. Yamaraja has no mercy. Hence our duty is to do Hari kirtana.”

We should never waste our time doing unnecessary things. The first reason for that is –
kñéëam äyuh kñaëe kñaëe, our lifetime is reducing every moment. This journey is a
one-way ticket as there is no return. The age or time which goes away never comes
back. Therefore, don’t waste time.

The second reason is – yamasya karunä nästi, Yamaraja has no mercy. When he comes,
we cannot say, “Please wait, I have to first go and withdraw money from the bank”. He
will not listen and we have to go with him. Therefore, what should be our duty?
kartavyam hari kértanam - to do Hari kirtana.

While offering prayers to Supreme Lord Krishna, Sukadev Goswami says in Srimad
Bhagavatam verse 2.4.15,

yat-kértanaà yat-smaraëaà yad-ékñaëaà


yad-vandanaà yac-chravaëaà yad-arhaëam
lokasya sadyo vidhunoti kalmañaà
tasmai subhadra-çravase namo namaù

“Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-auspicious Lord Sri Krishna,
about whom glorification, remembrances, audience, prayers, hearing and worship
can at once cleanse the effects of all sins of the performer.”

There are 6 activities mentioned in this verse of which the first is “kirtana”. Kirtanam
includes bhajans, chanting of Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, discourses on the glories of
the Lord or any activity connected with glorifying the Lord. This kirtanam must go on
always and we need a proper position to execute this activity. By the mercy of the Lord,
our economic position is quite comfortable. Why has God given us two legs, two eyes,
two hands, all in working condition; we should ponder over this very carefully. What
have we done to deserve a comfortable economic zone? The reason is, there must be a
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Our Real Duty

higher responsibility. God has directed His mercy towards us thinking that this living
entity wants to come towards Me, so let Me at least provide for his basic necessities
like food, clothing and shelter. Therefore it is our responsibility to use this life in His
service (hari kirtanam). If we fail in this duty (kartavya), then the facilities can be
taken away in a moment (yamasya karunä nästi).

We should understand this very clearly and somehow or the other, divert our minds to
the scriptures like Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. A pure devotee like
Srila Prabhupada has taken so much pain to give us everything in his books – verses,
transliteration, translation and purports. We simply have to find a little time and open
the pages. Out of 24 hours, at least we must find 1 hour to do this. This is our duty
(kartavya). If we conduct our activities (kirtanam) in this way, then the result will be –
lokasya sadyo vidhunoti kalmañaà, the miseries will be entirely eradicated from our
life.

When we start taking Krishna’s names, the first effect is that all anxieties go away because
we know that – ishavasyam idam sarvam, the Supreme Lord controls the entire universe.
We cannot do anything on our own. If we realize this, there is complete peace (çänti)
and in this peaceful situation only can we practice devotional service. At the most what
can we do, just hold on to His lotus feet. And where there is anxiety or agitation
(açänti), we cannot practice bhakti. Therefore, leave everything to Him as He does
everything. When we honour prasadam, we don’t know what happens inside our
stomach but the food gets digested. We eat white rice, green vegetables or brown
puris but the blood is red. Does anyone drink or eat red colour foodstuff? No. Then
why is blood red? Who does this? This is a big question mark before us. Apart from
Krishna, who else can do this. When we see a living entity who looks bright, we
should understand that he is somehow connected to Krishna because this is His
monopoly.

Though we are not attracted to our bodies, we still need to maintain the body in a
condition favorable to practice devotional service as this is an instrument to serve God.
Therefore regulative principles are there. First, we must try to sleep early, by 9 or 9:30
pm. Those who sleep after this time develop blood clots. Secondly, we should wake up
by 5 am. Those who wake up after this time develop cough. We should have only
minimum needs and should not increase them artificially which in-turn leads to
diseases.When we were small (Guru Maharaj talking of his childhood times), no one
had heard about heart problems. Out of fashion, rich persons in the village used to
proclaim that, “I have heart problem”. The most serious disease during our times
was tuberculosis (TB). And nowadays it has become so common to have heart diseases.
As we have progressed materially with electricity and other things, so our diseases
have also increased. We have become more polluted and as a result we are bound up
tightly in the mesh of material activities.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

We get different bodies based on our desires and then there is birth. Nobody falls
from the sky, everyone takes birth from a mother’s womb. Where there is birth,
death is certain. And Yamaraja is not like a corrupt government officer whom we can
bribe and buy more time to live. No, we have no choice but to go. We have completely
forgotten this. In between birth and death, there is old age and disease. These three
– birth, old age and death – come only once in a lifetime but disease comes always,
almost daily. First, our mind is spoiled and then, the body is diseased. In such a
condition, how to remember God and glorify Him (kirtanam)? And on top of all this,
with this body we have to perform so many material duties like our education,
marriage, work and then children’s education, their marriage and so on and so forth.
So in the middle of all this, how to maintain the body and still find time for kirtanam.
This is a big question mark in front of us. Every living entity has to find a solution to
this problem. In order to keep the body in a proper working condition, if possible,
please sleep by 9 or 9:30 pm and get up by 4 or 5 am. There are two advantages of
following this lifestyle –

a) health is improved and


b) less electricity is consumed and hence lower utility bills.

Even after following this, if we are not able to maintain our health, it is because of our
contaminated food. Nowadays, it is very difficult to find fresh cow’s milk. Even the
ghee, oil, flour and vegetables are all contaminated. So the solution is, as far as possible
only have prasadam. Otherwise to keep the body disease-free is very difficult in this age.
In Ayurveda, ginger is considered as a universal medicine. Please take ginger juice or
ginger powder, mix with jaggery or honey and have little of this mixture before honouring
prasadam. Our health will certainly be good if we follow this everyday. Then we won’t
need any other medicines. Even if we are forced to take medicines, still we should
continue to take this mixture without fail.

The air in our body controls our activities and we should think about this. It is due to
the proper flow of air in our body that we are able to sit, get up and walk etc. There are
two main types of air in our body – Präëa väyu and apäna väyu. Präëa väyu acts upward
from our navel and is the life giving air (oxygen). The more oxygen we get, the better.
Our life should be led in such a way that we get more and more oxygen. Even the
doctors use oxygen as the last resort to save the patient. Yet we spend so much money
to go to ICU to breathe oxygen. In ICU (I See You), apart from Yamaraj, no one else can
come and see you.

Präëäyama exercise is very helpful in regulating the prana vayu in the body. For devotees,
bhajans and kirtans are the präëäyama. When we go on a harinam or to temples, we go
into the open space where there is plenty of supply of oxygen. Don’t always sit inside a
10x10 room, definitely go to a temple or to an open place. Preferably stay close to a
temple or even if you are staying far away still we should take whatever trouble is
required to come to temple to do harinam, bhajan, kirtan etc. In our temple, there is

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Our Real Duty

enough oxygen to breathe, even if you don’t want. We have a riverbank (Dwaraka)
and the Lord lives here. In spite of all this, if we still have difficulties, it is because we
are not leading a natural lifestyle.

The result of an unnatural lifestyle is that, the apäna väyu (second type of air in the
body) is not allowed to function properly. Apäna väyu’s responsibility is to drive away
all the impurities from the body. The difficulties we face due to our bodies are because
of irregularities in präna and apäna väyu. To regulate the flow of apäna väyu, black salt
is very good. Have a pinch of black salt, not only will it clear the apäna väyu but it will
also clear any cough. Even after this, if nothing works, just chant the holy name of the
Lord.

Please don’t roam around here and there without purpose, because wherever you go,
cheating tendency is there. If you happen to see a doctor, please come home and take
bath. There is a nice book by an American doctor titled, “How to save yourself from
your doctor killing you”. When we go to doctors, we don’t know what is in the medicine
they give, even the doctors keep trying different medicines to see what works and what
doesn’t. Whereas if we go to an Ayurvedic physician (vaidya), he knows what he is
prescribing as the ingredients are all natural like ginger, herbs etc and we also know
what he is giving. Unless our mind is occupied in glorifying the Lord through kirtan, we
cannot be saved. And unless we are in peace, we cannot focus our minds in kirtan.
Therefore as far as possible we should rely on natural remedies like black salt and
ginger. Another advantage of this is that just by spending a little amount (Rs. 10), these
will last for a long time (3 years) whereas if we go behind other medicines, they cost a
lot (Rs. 30 for 3 tablets) and won’t even last. Even after trying natural remedies, if we
don’t get results, then stop over-stretching your body and stay peaceful. Simply keep
chanting God’s holy names. Chanting the Mahamantra is the best präëäyama exercise.
When we chant
Hare Kåñëa Hare Kåñëa Kåñëa Kåñëa Hare Hare
Hare Räma Hare Räma Räma Räma Hare Hare

there is a natural process of breathing in and out. Chanting this Maha-mantra with love
is therefore the best medicine.

Breathing fresh air is the best medicine. Even if we have to travel far from the city to
breathe fresh air, it is still better than spending money on medicines. This way, we must
try to lead a natural lifestyle and if at all required, take only Ayurvedic medicines. If we
go behind other medicines, we get addicted to them and then we cannot live without
them. Those who are using medicines for a long time, by following a natural lifestyle,
slowly they will be able to reduce their dependency on medicines. In any circumstance,
never lose hope and have faith otherwise there won’t be any peace of mind. Because
what is the worst that will happen as a result of disease? Death. Anyway we all have to
die one day, so why worry?

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Once a person was very happy that the doctors extended his life span by 5 years. I
asked him, “If you didn’t die, then how was your life extended?” The doctors may
claim anything, but we must examine the facts. If you had died and the doctors
intervened to increase your life span, then it is understandable. But this is not possible.
Our life is a gift of God and by His will only, we can give up our body. Everything here
is controlled by time and it is time only which acts. We should remember this with
firm faith. Time is the divine weapon of God and using time, God controls us. By His
will, we are able to maintain our bodies now, but there will come a time when we
won’t be able to maintain it anymore. Even the last resort used by doctors is to give
oxygen. When we have so much free oxygen available, why spend so much money on
doctors to breathe oxygen and that too with all the pipes fitted.

Our clothing style also needs to change. Don’t wear tight clothing and dark or black
clothes. This will prevent us from breathing properly. That is why, dhoti-kurta is the
best. Not only will this allow proper breathing but also this is the best wear in hot
weather conditions. Another important thing is to make sure there is fresh drinking
water. If the tap water is not good, then filter the water. Even after this, if the water is
not pure, then before drinking water just chant:

Hare Kåñëa Hare Kåñëa Kåñëa Kåñëa Hare Hare


Hare Räma Hare Räma Räma Räma Hare Hare

This is the best purifying agent. In Japan, one engineer conducted an experiment to
prove this. He kept two glasses of water on the table, on one he wrote prayers and on
the other abusive words. The water in the glass on which prayers were written had clear
crystals whereas the water crystals in the other glass had impurities. He repeated this
experiment by keeping the two glasses in two different rooms and then in two different
countries and the result was exactly the same. We can see that inside water also, God
has created such wonderful qualities.

Our body contains innumerable living cells and each cell contains, 3 portions water, 1
portion earth and 1 portion fire. Therefore, water being the major ingredient in our
body, if we expose it to classical music, chanting of holy names, kirtan etc, then it will
be nourished. This is the case of devotees who always chant Krishna’s names. The texture
of their face changes, facial expressions change, their bodily condition improves and
there is happiness and peace of mind. These are all signs of improvement in our health
and none of these are false. And why we should follow all this, so that our mind is fixed
on Krishna. If we follow all these things, be in association of devotees and hear the
Lord’s glories and always see the wonderful form of the Lord in the temple, then our
mind will always be fixed on the Lord. In Srimad Bhagavatam, this is called shruta-
ikshita i.e. seeing by hearing.

It is only by His grace that we all have come together here to hear about Him, otherwise
our body is so complicated that we really don’t know how we survive. Without His
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Our Real Duty

mercy, nothing will work. Our body doesn’t have any nuts, bolts, pipes or taps, but
still blood flows through every part of the body without any of our effort. When we
eat anything spicy, immediately our eyes start to water. Without any tap inside, how
is the water coming out and when we eat anything with water, immediately the tap
turns off. There is no such tap in the whole universe. Even the modern touch-sensitive
taps require us to go close and keep our hands, but this tap doesn’t require any
extraneous effort. And this water, which is the gift of God, is the best of all antiseptics.

He gives everything and despite all this, we are so proud of ourselves that we have such
nice bodies. He is so merciful and yet we are so foolish that we don’t take His name at
all. He says, “You simply chant My name and I will take care of you”, but still we don’t
follow this simple instruction. We should stop this non-sense and start taking His names;
nothing else is more important than this. Let’s recite this sloka (Srimad Bhagavatam
1.8.42):
tvayi me ‘nanya-viñayä matir madhu-pate ‘sakåt
ratim udvahatäd addhä gaìgevaugham udanvati

“O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my
attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else.”

In this verse, the example of Ganges is given. Just as the Ganges flows towards the
ocean and none can stop her, in the same way our thoughts should always (non-stop)
go towards Krishna. Two things trouble us here in this world:

a) Our economic status, therefore we work and


b) Other distractions, to which we should not get attracted.

Keep your life simple and don’t get attracted to anything else other than Krishna. As our
mind is very fickle, we must train the mind to be always with Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and
Srimad Bhagavatam.”

- Svayam Prakash Krishna das, Singapore.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

A Worthy Son
When our spiritual master, H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj was in Abu Dhabi in
December 2007, he made all of us recite the following points:

1. I will obey my parents.


2. I will never trouble them in anyway.
3. I will always serve them to the best of my ability.
4. I am really grateful to them for all they are doing for me.
5. I will never be arrogant with them.
6. May Lord bless them with long long life.

It may seem that this is relevant for our children only but it is applicable to all of us
whether 2 years, 16 years, 45 years, 70 years etc. There is a story about an 80 year old
man who was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45 year old highly educated
son. Suddenly a crow perched on their window sill.

The father asked his son, “What is this?”


The son replied, “It is a crow.”

After a few minutes, the father asked his son the 2nd time, “What is this?”
The son said “Father, I just told you, It’s a crow.”

After a little while, the old father again asked his son the 3rd time, “What is this”
The son said with some irritation, “It’s a crow, a crow.”

A little after the father again asked his son for the 4th time, “What is this.”

This time the son shouted at his father, “Why do you keep asking me the same question
again and again, although I have told you so many times ‘IT IS A CROW’. Can’t you
understand this?”

A little later the father went to his room and came back with an old tattered diary,
which he had maintained since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his son
to read that page.

When the son read it, the following words were written in the diary :

“Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa, when a crow was sitting
on the window. My son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied to him all 23 times
that it was a crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question
again and again all 23 times.”

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A Worthy Son

So...If parents attain old age, do not repulse them or look at them as a burden, but
speak to them a gracious word, be obedient, humble and kind to them. Be considerate
to your parents. Be a worthy son. In the verse of Srimad Bhagavatam 3.3.1 :

uddhava uväca
tataù sa ägatya puraà sva-pitroç
cikérñayä çaà baladeva-saàyutaù
nipätya tuìgäd ripu-yütha-näthaà
hataà vyakarñad vyasum ojasorvyäm

Sri Uddhava said: “Thereafter Lord Krishna went to Mathura City with Sri Baladeva,
and to please Their parents They dragged Kamsa, the leader of public enemies, down
from his throne and killed him, pulling him along the ground with great strength.”

Srila Prabhupada says: The Lord proved to be a worthy son of His parents even at the age
of sixteen years. Both brothers, Lord Krishna and Lord Baladeva, went to Mathura from
Vrindavana and killed Their maternal uncle, who had given so much trouble to Their parents,
Vasudeva and Devaki.

There are very many examples of a worthy son in Srimad Bhagavatam like Prahlada
Maharaja, Dhruva Maharaja, Puru, etc. Maharaja Yayati wanted his son Puru to exchange
his youth with his old age and invalidity. In Srimad Bhagavatam, 9.18.44, while accepting
his father’s request, Puru says

uttamaç cintitaà kuryät prokta-käré tu madhyamaù


adhamo ‘çraddhayä kuryäd akartoccaritaà pituù

“A son who acts by anticipating what his father wants him to do is a first class son.
One who acts upon receiving his father’s order is a second class son. A son who
executes his father’s order irreverently is a third class son. But a son who refuses his
father’s order is like his father’s stool.”

However, one must understand that for your son to be worthy (of value) to you, one
must act and behave as worthy sons of their parents as well. Because children are always
observing the activities of their parents and will imbibe the same qualities as they grow.
Let us show to the children and to the world that we can become worthy sons of our
parents and Lord Krishna who is our Supreme Father.

I therefore seek the mercy of my spiritual master, the Supreme Lord and Srila Prabhupada
to ingrain in me the qualities for being a worthy son.

- Sri Ramacandra das, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Follow One - Nine will Come


The following is an excerpt from the lecture given by our Guru Maharaj H H
Mahavishnu Goswami on 29.7.2007 on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.9.26 at Sri Sri Radha-
NeelaMadhav Dham, Rajkot.

puruña-sva-bhäva-vihitän yathä-varëaà yathäçramam


vairägya-rägopädhibhyäm ämnätobhaya-lakñaëän

“At Maharaja Yudhishtira’s inquiry, Bhismadeva first defined all the classifications
of castes and orders of life in terms of the individual’s qualifications. Then he
systematically, in two-fold divisions, described counteraction by detachment and
interaction by attachment.”

“Detachment always has counteraction and attachment has interaction. Detachment is


the main quality of person who has unflinching faith in Krishna. The material examples
always fall short of the spiritual reality. But if we have full faith in Krishna, then we
know that interaction is not possible because our dependence on near and dear ones are
also maintained by Krishna. There is nothing that we do, that is the inner idea. Also
honestly speaking, we don’t have genuine care for others but just showy care. One thing
is definite, whenever we meet our near and dear ones, we should feel that it’s a re-birth.
Your presence here and your child at home means when you both meet again it’s a
rebirth, because while coming to the temple from home there are so many possibilities.
For your child also, he may walk and fall down or anything. We don’t know what is
going to happen. So whenever we see the living entities also there should be feeling like
a second birth.

Living entities are changing every moment and everything is changing at every second
of our existence. The continuous regulated flow of the blood in our body depends upon
the Vedic culture. Vedic way of life is the only way which allows your blood to flow
uninterrupted because this way we are obeying Krishna. Just as now we are sitting in
the temple we are obeying the police department, by not doing any crime. We are
behaving in full cooperation with the department. This way we are at ease. Similarly
Krishna demands full cooperation. In Bhagavad-Gita 18.66, Krishna says - “sarva-
dharmän parityajya.. .”, Leave everything and take My shelter. Parityajya means an
order, not request. Those who have unflinching faith in Krishna run after Him and do
not waste their time. The sign of detachment is that we always depend on Krishna.
Naturally we are very attached because since last so many births we have been saying
mine-mine-mine. But there is only one facility in this birth which is higher intelligence,
therefore we can understand there is something else which is better than attachment.
Other animals cannot understand this.

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Follow One - Nine will Come

There are four varnas, and varnas depend upon our activities. They are meant to be
set up in any societies according to modes of material nature. First the mode of
goodness - the intelligent class are brahmanas. Every society must have the intelligent
class. Second the kshatriyas, they have to protect so they have to be active. Intelligent
class is steady and guides the kshatriyas. Before the Kurukshetra war, Vedic culture
was rampant, mode of goodness was very prominent but slowly the passion was
added and later passion and ignorance combined. So they became Vaishyas-mercantile
class. They do cow protection and farming and carry on different types of business.
Last class is shudras, they are meant for service. According to the tendencies these
varnas must be preached to. But today law preaches the opposite. Prabhupada gives
nice example that modern laws prevailing today are like putting your turban on feet
and shoes on head, but this can never work. Only Vedic rules can govern our life
properly.

Here in the first sentence of the purport to the verse 1.9.26, Srila Prabhupada insists by
referring to the shloka from Bhagavad-Gita 4.13, that by birth these castes can never be
fixed. No doubt the child born in the brahmana family gets the best facility to develop
into a brahmana. Prabhupada explains here that just as doctor’s son has the best possibility
of becoming a doctor, but without being admitted to medical college it is not possible.
By birth he cannot be a doctor. Eventually the motto is to get rid ourselves from material
bondages namely birth, death, diseases and old age. Before accepting this body, we have
to undergo birth and at the end attain death, in between old age and diseases trouble us
many times. Anybody by any means cannot get away from this, and we have to undergo
it. But now passion and ignorance is rampant, nobody wants to come out of ignorance
and as time passes all these things are increasing.

The whole atmosphere must be surcharged with goodness. Prabhupada worked very
hard to introduce the same system of varna, now those western people are carrying on
preaching and deity worship nicely by his grace. He showed that according to qualities
we can have the divisions in any societies, without birth qualification, not only Indians
but people all over the world have to set up this system. Please remember this is a
rational approach to the varna or caste system. Everything depends on quality and if
you want to improve the quality in Kali-yuga there is no other way but to start
remembering Krishna through His names.

In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.9.26. Srila Prabhupada, in the second paragraph of the
purport to this verse explains about the varnashrama principles which Bhismadev hi-
lighted to Maharaj Yudhishtira.

Bhishmadeva advised for all human beings nine qualifications:

1. not to become angry


2. not to lie
3. to equally distribute wealth

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

4. to forgive
5. to beget children only by one’s legitimate wife
6. to be pure in mind and hygienic in body
7. not to be inimical toward anyone
8. to be simple and
9. to support servants or subordinates.

The first quality we all should have is unflinching devotional service. There may be 100
types of good qualities but with sincere devotion to Krishna rest all will follow. This is
the easiest way. So as soon as we go to Krishna, all good qualities assemble in us. So
the underlying principle is if you are unflinching devotee all good qualities must be
there. Krishna is 1 therefore if you follow 1, 9 will come. All the above 9 good qualities
are bound to manifest in soul surrendered to Krishna.

Detachment means not throwing away your belongings but there should be no
attachment, by always keeping in mind that one day we all have to leave these things.
Whenever there is attachment death becomes more difficult. We have to train ourselves
to detach, just like how although you are capable of working, still at the age of 60,
you have to retire from the government job. Whatever survival activities are there
they should be purifying us. If you obey Krishna, He sides with you. If you disobey
Him, He leaves you. Always remember Krishna and chant. Those who accept this
their generations which are gone will be liberated up to 27 generations, this is the
vast effect of chanting. Enormous profit is there by just chanting. It will also purify
the 27 coming generations. Even in demons, devotional service could purify so much.
So what to talk of living entities? It is an immense profit - just chant - the profit is
inconceivable.

No doubt struggle of life is increasing. But even in this life if you obey Krishna the
comfort will be there. This simple thing has to be passed on to our children, otherwise
they will not survive. Unless there is a touch of Vedic culture, our generation will not
improve. We have to adopt it with full heart. There is no other alternative to Srimad
Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita. We have to come to this. There is no other way. To
obey Krishna is for our benefit. Krishna sent Srila Prabhupada especially to elevate us,
to remove us from the clutches of Maya. Srila Prabhupada has given us so much in his
purports that to understand only Srimad Bhagavatam, our entire life will be short and
just these two paragraphs give us so much knowledge. So please work and just concentrate
on this and nothing else.”

I beg for the blessing of Gurudev to shower upon me his mercy so that I chant the Holy
name of the Lord very sincerely and without any material desire.

- Nayanapriya Krishna das, Rajkot.


hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

218
Qualities Dear to Sri Krishna
The following is a summary from a lecture given by H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj
in January 2009. The lecture is based on verses 12.13-14 from the Bhagavad-Gita where
Lord Krishna lists eleven good qualities in His devotees. Maharaj speaks on these qualities
of a devotee and on how to develop these good qualities.

adveñöä sarva-bhütänäà maitraù karuëa eva ca


nirmamo nirahaìkäraù sama-duùkha-sukhaù kñamé

santuñöaù satataà yogé yatätmä dåòha-niçcayaù


mayy arpita-mano-buddhir yo mad-bhaktaù sa me priyaù

“One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not
think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness
and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with
determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me—he is
very dear to Me.”

1. Adveñöä - Nonenviousness
Nobody likes envy, whether it may be experienced in oneself or seen in others. Therefore
a sane person will try by all means to rid himself of this inebriety. However hard we may
try though, we cannot become free from the subtle envy. After having failed to control
the waves of envy by various mental adjustments, everyone is looking for an effective
remedy for the recurring disease of enviousness. Fortunately the Srimad Bhagavatam,
the crest-jewel of Vedic literature, offers sublime directions aimed at curing the disease
of envy. In verse 7.15.23 it is stated:

änvékñikyä çoka-mohau dambhaà mahad-upäsayä


yogäntaräyän maunena hiàsäà kämädy-anéhayä

“By discussing spiritual knowledge one can conquer lamentation and illusion, by
serving a great devotee one can become prideless, by keeping silent one can avoid
obstacles on the path of mystic yoga, and simply by stopping sense gratification one
can conquer envy.”

The root cause of envy is the inclination of the mind towards sense gratification. Only because
we want to enjoy particular things in this world for ourselves, we feel envious when
others enjoy those very things. However when a person no longer has anything to enjoy
in this world, then where is the need for envy? Having identified the root cause of the
envy, the next question that arises is how to remove this root cause. The following
direction is found in verse regarding how to deal with the minds attraction towards
sense gratification, Srimad Bhagavatam 11.10.20:
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

ko ‘nv arthaù sukhayaty enaà kämo vä måtyur antike


äghätaà néyamänasya vadhyasyeva na tuñöi-daù

“Death is not at all pleasing, and since everyone is exactly like a condemned man
being led to the place of execution, what possible happiness can people derive from
material objects or the gratification they provide?’’

A person facing immediate execution cannot be pacified by any amount of sense


gratification, even if he is offered a beautiful woman, a house, or a million dollars. Thus
when he is led to the execution place he has no concern for envy. By the practice of
envisioning one’s final moment, one becomes sober and completely indifferent to all
varieties of sense enjoyment. Only as long as the life remains with us, we are inclined
to sense gratification and to envy others. In the world everyone is competing in order
to increase the sense gratification, even between nations the envy plays an important
part. However by envisioning death, one becomes free from the entanglement in
sense gratification and by stopping sense gratification, we can conquer envy and
become non-envious.

2. Maitrah - A kind friend to all living entities


In Bhagavad-Gita verse 15.7 it is stated:

mamaiväàço jéva-loke jéva-bhütaù sanätanaù


manaù-ñañöhänéndriyäëi prakåti-sthäni karñati

Here Krishna states that all living entities are His eternal parts and parcels. Because a
devotee is awake to this fact he is friendly to one and all even those who act as his
enemies. In the Srimad Bhagavatam verse 4.31.19 it is further stated:

dayayä sarva-bhüteñu santuñöyä yena kena vä


sarvendriyopaçäntyä ca tuñyaty äçu janärdanaù

“By showing mercy to all living entities, being satisfied somehow or other and
controlling the senses from sense enjoyment, one can very quickly satisfy the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Janärdana.”

From this verse we take MSC: Merciful, Satisfied and Controlled. When these qualities
reside in us, we cannot be envious of others. Only the competitive spirit stops us
from being friendly with others. If good organization is there, there is no competition.
In the absence of clear organization or in a messy organizational structure there will
inevitably competition. Even in religious structures there is competition, and it is
seen that devotees even use God to further their own motives. Thus in the name of
preaching suffering is rampant. Only as long as there is one leader in control, the
organization will progress. As soon as there is partnership there will be fighting. This
is of course difficult to put into practice because we don’t forget our false ego.

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3. Nirmamah - With no sense of proprietorship


In the Sri Isopanisad mantra one it is stated:

éçäväsyam idam sarvaà yat kiïca jagatyäà jagat


tena tyaktena bhuïjéthä mä gådhaù kasya svid dhanam

“Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned
by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself,
which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing
well to whom they belong.”

Everything belongs to Krishna so to hoard wealth or use it for sense gratification is very
bad. The best use of everything is for Krishna. At best we may act as Krishna’s instruments.
But because we are not with the scriptures, they do not take care of us. By avoiding the
hoarding tendency and being satisfied with our set quota, and taking strength from
daily association of the scriptures, we properly recognize Krishna’s Supreme
Proprietorship.

4. Nirahaìkäraù - Without false ego


The root of false ego is ignorance. We are ignorant of the fact that one day we are going
to go. In Bhagavatam 2.3.17 it is stated:

äyur harati vai puàsäm udyann astaà ca yann asau


tasyarte yat-kñaëo néta uttama-çloka-värtayä

“Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone,
except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of
Godhead.”

A short life of maximum 100 years is nothing in the cosmic scale. When we are conscious
about the fact that we have to die, the false ego evaporates. Why are we proud? We do
not have anything. If Krishna wishes we cannot enjoy our own things also. The only
unchanging thing in this world is the change. In the changing world who are we going
to catch?

5. Sama duhkha sukha - Equal in both happiness and distress


The ailment of the body should be regarded as happiness, then it will go away, otherwise
it will bite you.

6. Kñamé - Forgiving
We may suffer loss but even then we forgive. Krishna forgave Sisupal 100 times, Jesus
Christ taught to show the other cheek. In Bhagavad-Gita verse 10.4-5 Krishna states
that forgiveness comes from Him. In the purport Srila Prabhupada writes ‘Kshama,
tolerance and forgiveness, should be practised; one should be tolerant and excuse the minor

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offences of others’. To put this into practice requires realization, and in the word
realization, real is there. By practice forgiveness becomes real.

7. Santuñöaù – Always satisfied


Don’t catch anything – let go. If we do not open material accounts with others, we
will be able to always be satisfied. Our satisfaction goes, as soon as we catch the
inebrities of other living entities. In Bhagavatam 8.19.24 it is stated:

yadåcchayopapannena santuñöo vartate sukham


näsantuñöas tribhir lokair ajitätmopasäditaiù

“One should be satisfied with whatever he achieves by his previous destiny, for
discontent can never bring happiness. A person who is not self-controlled will not be
happy even with possessing the three worlds.”

Everyone has their lot in life, and to be satisfied with that is santuñöah. The five rupees in
our hand is more valuable to us than the million of the other man.

8. Satatam yogi – Always engaged in devotion


In the Brhan-naradiya purana it is stated:

harer näma harer näma harer nämaiva kevalam


kalau nästy eva nästy eva nästy eva gatir anyathä

“In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the
holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no
other way.”

One can be purified immediately by chanting ‘Hare Krishna’. The Srimad Bhagavatam
confirms this in verse 1.6.25

etävad uktvopararäma tan mahad


bhütaà nabho-liìgam aliìgam éçvaram
ahaà ca tasmai mahatäà mahéyase
çérñëävanämaà vidadhe ‘nukampitaù

“Then that supreme authority, personified by sound and unseen by eyes, but most
wonderful, stopped speaking. Feeling a sense of gratitude, I offered my obeisances
unto Him, bowing my head.”

Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: That the Personality
of Godhead was not seen but only heard does not make any difference. The Personality of
Godhead produced the four Vedas by His breathing, and He is seen and realized through the
transcendental sound of the Vedas. Similarly, the Bhagavad-Gita is the sound representation

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of the Lord, and there is no difference in identity. The conclusion is that the Lord can be
seen and heard by persistent chanting of the transcendental sound.

This settles the matter. Simply by chanting Krishna’s names, Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad
Bhagavatam one can see and realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by such
experience only can one be situated in constant devotional service to the Lord.

9. Yata-ätmä — self-controlled
In the Bhagavad-Gita 5.26 it is said:

käma-krodha-vimuktänäà yaténäà yata-cetasäm


abhito brahma-nirväëaà vartate viditätmanäm

“Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-
disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in
the Supreme in the very near future.”

By keeping our eye on the goal of Krishna’s lotus feet, just like how Arjuna only saw
the eye of the bird when asked to shoot his arrow by his teacher Dronacarya, we can
be disciplined even though all inebrities may surround us. In the end we can only
blame ourselves if we miss the target. By blaming others and our circumstances we
unnecessarily prolong our material existence. What others do or do-not-do, should
never touch our resolve to achieve the lotus feet of the Lord.

10. Dåòha-niçcayaù – Engaged in devotional service with determination


Determination means to finish it, or see the things through to their end. The following
is the story of how a sparrow displayed the lesson of how one should be determined:
‘As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the
waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean
carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to
return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry
up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her
for her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and at last Garuda, the
gigantic bird carrier of Lord Vishnu, heard it. He became compassionate toward his small
sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuda was very pleased by the determination
of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuda at once asked the ocean to
return her eggs lest he himself take up the work of the sparrow. The ocean was frightened at
this, and returned the eggs. Thus the sparrow became happy by the grace of Garuda. Similarly,
the practice of yoga, especially bhakti-yoga in Krishna consciousness, may appear to be a
very difficult job. But if anyone follows the principles with great determination, the Lord will
surely help, for God helps those who help themselves.’ [Bhagavad-Gita 6.24, purport]

11. Mayy arpita-mano-buddhir - Mind and intelligence fixed on Me


From the Bhagavatam 9.4.18-20 we take the example of Ambarish Maharaja in how to
engage all faculties in Sri Krishna’s devotional service.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

sa vai manaù krñëa-padäravindayor


vacäàsi vaikuëöha-guëänuvarëane
karau harer mandira-märjanädiñu
çrutià cakäräcyuta-sat-kathodaye

mukunda-liìgälaya-darçane dåçau
tad-bhåtya-gätra-sparçe ‘ìga-saìgamam
ghräëaà ca tat-päda-saroja-saurabhe
çrémat-tulasyä rasanäà tad-arpite

pädau hareù kñetra-padänusarpaëe


çiro håñékeça-padäbhivandane
kämaà ca däsye na tu käma-kämyayä
yathottamaçloka-janäçrayä ratiù

“Maharaja Ambarisha always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of
Krishna, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the
Lord’s temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Krishna or about Krishna.
He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Krishna, Krishna’s temples and Krishna’s
places like Mathura and Vrindavana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the
bodies of the Lord’s devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance
of tulasi offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord’s prasada.
He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in
bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four
hours a day. Indeed, Maharaja Ambarisha never desired anything for his own sense
gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements
related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be
completely free from all material desires.”

Everything is Krishna’s, what can we do but to engage in His service? The following is
the conclusion and below all the qualities are listed together.

Adveñöä – Nonenviousness
Maitrah - A kind friend to all living entities
Nirmamo - With no sense of proprietorship
Nirahaìkäraù - Without false ego
Sama-duùkha-sukhaù - Equal in both happiness and distress
Kñamé – Forgiving
Santuñöaù – Always satisfied
Satataà yogé – Always engaged in devotion
Yatätmä — self-controlled
Dåòha-niçcayaù – Engaged in devotional service with determination
Mayy arpita-mano-buddhir - Mind and intelligence fixed on Me

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Altogether these eleven qualities make a devotee. Therefore to remember these


qualities and our need to carefully cultivate them, we may take help from the
following acronym - WE MAKE S(ri)N(athji) FAN!

W - Without false ego


E - Equal in both happiness and distress

M – Mind and intelligence fixed on me


A - Always satisfied
K - Kind friend to all living entities
E – Engaged in devotional service with determination

S – Self-controlled
N – Non-envious

F - Forgiving
A - Always engaged in devotion
N – No sense of proprietorship

May we by the mercy of Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga develop all these eleven qualities.

- Tejasvi Krishna das, Denmark.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Qualities Enacted in Spiritual Association of the Lord


The following notes is based on Bhagavatam class given by His Holiness Mahavishnu
Gosvami Maharaj, in London, July 6, 2008. Maharaj shared from his vast treasure house
of transcendental realizations, concerning the qualities of the Lord and His devotees
enacted in spiritual association.

1. The Lord is Equal to All


There is a Hindi poem by Surdas, who was blind, where he is glorifying the equanimity
of the Lord.
prabhu more avagun chita na dharo
samadarçé hai näm tihäro chähe to pär karo
ek lohä pooja me räkhat ek ghar badhik paro
päras gun avagun nahi chitavata kancan karat kharo

He prays, “Dear Lord Krishna, please do not consider my bad qualities. You are known
as Samadarçé, You who are equal to everyone. So if You want, please liberate me. One
piece of iron is used in puja, another one is lying at the blacksmith’s place. But the
touchstone doesn’t consider this, but turns both into gold.”

Another analogy Maharaj said, “When the gutter joins the Ganges River, it also becomes
the Ganges. So even though we are so full of bad qualities, when we join Krishna, we
become pure like Him.” He gave a practical example for this. A poor labourer’s
daughter joined Sri Prahlad International school in Rajkot. Both she and her parents
were illiterate. But somehow or other she started chanting, and after one year she
could speak English and study as well. Simply by associating with the Lord, by chanting
His names, she could start studying. So we should also never discriminate people,
but treat everyone equally.

2. Saving Time for Service to Krishna:


To illustrate the importance of saving time for Krishna, Maharaj shared with us an
incident which occurred in the life of devotee Surdas. Once a king invited Surdas to
sing bhajans at his court. After ten bhajans the king stopped him and said “Now you
sing bhajans about me”. But Surdas was not happy and declined. The king immediately
arrested him and sent him to jail. But Surdas was not afraid. He said: “Don’t again invite
me to your court, because you have wasted my time. I don’t want any interruptions
while performing devotional service.” (Maharaj asks a disciple’s son) – “How much
do you sleep every day?” The son replies – ‘10 hours.’ Maharaj replied, “Then half
your life is wasted. Say you live for 70 years. 35 years of your life will be wasted in
sleeping. And 20 years in sporting, 20 years in invalidity in old age, 5 years for brushing
teeth…(Maharaj chuckles.) So where is the time for Krishna? So please, we must do
one thing: simplify things. Then we’ll have time for devotional service to Krishna.
Please try to remember this: C-D-E-F-G

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C: Cleanliness – cleanliness is a must, without cleanliness we cannot be


D: Disciplined – cleanliness gives disciplined life, a prerequisite for
E: Education – education is needed,
F: For
G: God – everything ends up in Him.

As the Lord says in Bhagavad-Gita verse 10.8, “Those who know this engage in My
devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts” (iti matvä bhajante mäm / budhä
bhäva samanvitäh). So whatever is our duty, we must do it nicely, then Krishna will like
us. Otherwise He will not like us. So only if Krishna remembers you, you can chant. So
we should follow all these things – C-D-E-F-G – then we can chant.

3. Lord’s Residential Address


In the Sri-Kevalashtakam it is said:

hariù sadä vaset tatra yatra bhägavatä janäù


gäyanti bhakti-bhävena harer nämaiva kevalam

“Lord Sri Hari forever dwells wherever devotees whose hearts are fixed on Him and
free of all impurities uplift their voices high and sing His Name in ecstasy. The Holy
Name of Sri Hari is surely all that is.”

Once Narada Muni went to find Krishna. After traveling for a long time, he finally met
Him. Narada Muni asked the Lord that, “In future, if I want to see You, is there any
simple way I can reach You; any address, any phone line?” Krishna replied:

nähaà tiñöhämi vaikuëöhe yoginäà hådayeñu vä


tatra tiñöhämi närada yatra gäyanti mad-bhaktäù

“O Narada, I am not in Vaikuntha nor am I in the hearts of the yogis. I remain where
My devotees glorify My name, form, qualities and transcendental pastimes.”

So this Abyssinia Court (where Maharaj was staying in London) is now Krishna’s address.
And if you chant at home, that is also Krishna’s address. Just chant:

Hare Kåñëa Hare Kåñëa Kåñëa Kåñëa Hare Hare


Hare Räma Hare Räma Räma Räma Hare Hare

When we chant, Krishna, He has millions of phone lines, but He answers all of them.”

- Amoghadrk Krishna das, Denmark.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Vaishnava Para Sukha-Sukhi


Today (December 26, 2004) is one of the most memorable days especially for the
disciples of H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj, as they celebrated his 84th Vyasa
puja in Rajkot with full enthusiasm. Having personally witnessed the glorious event,
I will attempt to share a bit of my experience of it.

First of all, Maharaj has been faced with bad health for the last few days, with extreme
cold, cough and headache and other bodily struggles due to old age. With so many
disciples and well-wishers thronging in to Rajkot to meet him, talk to him and receive
blessings and instructions from him, Maharaj completely disregarded his health and
has been practically sleeping hardly 2-3 hours a day. The cough is so much that he can’t
speak 8-10 words at a stretch but these material difficulties can do nothing to the staunch
determination of Maharaj in rendering uninterrupted and unmotivated loving devotional
service unto the Supreme Lord. Although Maharaj rested only by 1 am the previous
night, still he attended the mangala arati and sang the arati songs. Then without taking
rest he went on to preside over the initiation ceremony. There were quite a number of
devotees and this ceremony alone took almost 4-5 hours. Maharaj gave a very very
loving at the same time deeply thought provoking lecture to inspire us to go on with
devotional service for the rest of our lives.

After the initiation ceremony, although Maharaj was very much against devotees
glorifying him, he kindly allowed 4-5 devotee representatives, one from each country to
speak their realizations. But the most important was yet to come. After the arati Maharaj
said, “Since it is Vyasa Puja, we have to glorify Vyasadeva. The best way to glorify
and please Vyasadev is to bury ourselves in his transcendental literature Srimad
Bhagavatam.” Saying this, he declared that it was not his Vyasa Puja, rather it should
be from now on called “Bhagavatam Day”.

Keeping this in mind, devotees wanted to please Maharaj by reciting the first canto of
Srimad Bhagavatam non-stop in the afternoon. The group was small in the beginning,
but it grew slowly into a bigger one, on seeing the determination and joy of those who
were reading it. The reading went for over three hours in the afternoon non-stop and
the devotees who took part in this transcendental experience bear testimony to the
amount of joy they obtained by reciting the first canto. They were so enthused that at
the end of the transcendental recitation they decided to recite the second canto tomorrow
Krishna willing. This is the obvious result of getting the transcendental touch of the
sound vibration of Granthraj Srimad Bhagavatam.

Srimad Bhagavatam is the life and soul of Maharaj. He often says that he got all the
benefits and learned so many lessons only by his unflinching attachment to Bhagavatam.
His every step is based on this great literature. He is always caring for the welfare of
others disregarding his own health. He is able to relish Srimad Bhagavatam because he
is completely non-envious. It is not only that he is distressed when others are in trouble,
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but he is also overjoyed when something good happens to others. We may be able to
find a Vaishnava who is para-duhkha-duhkhi, but it is extremely impossible to find a
Vaishnava who is para-sukha-sukhi. This quality can appear only when one is completely
non-envious and wide-hearted to give all glorifications to others. A great soul who
strongly follows this principle is called nirmatsaranäm satäm. There is a beautiful verse
in Srimad Bhagavatam 6.10.9 which explains this glorious character of a devotee as
follows:
etävän avyayo dharmaù puëya-çlokair upäsitaù
yo bhüta-çoka-harñäbhyäm ätmä çocati håñyati

“If one is unhappy to see the distress of other living beings and happy to see their
happiness, his religious principles are appreciated as imperishable by exalted persons
who are considered pious and benevolent.”

Let us follow in the footsteps of these great souls who are unflinchingly following these
impeccable instructions from the shastras in their lives. Our lives will be successful.

- Kalacakra Krishna das, Bangalore.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Suffering for Others


Our Guru Maharaj travels so much in his old age and delivers the very deep realizations
from the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam. While it is easy to appreciate those deep
realizations, it is imperative that we also understand the amount of austerity, sacrifice
and compassion that went into building those realizations. For instance, in May 2008,
Maharaj left Abu Dhabi for London and stayed there for about a week but his health has
not been good due to the unstable weather. He suffered very much during the week’s
stay in London but extended himself to give classes even though he was not able to
move even. Needless to say that his 88 years old body has gone through so much with
all these years of hectic travelling and preaching.

The question definitely arises, why should Maharaj extend himself so much at this age
when it is better to stay at one place and rest? There are at least two reasons that I have
heard from senior devotees and from Srimad Bhagavatam. One of my senior god-brother
H G Devakinandan prabhu who has spent so many years serving Maharaj said this
profound realization - “Maharaj is teaching us how to face old age by himself going
through the suffering.” Unless we see how much suffering old age brings us, we will be
too callous about that inevitable stage of life. Then we will not have the appointment
with Krishna at our last moments. We will only have appointment with Yamaraja! Just
to show us how we can perform devotional service with strong determination even in
old age, when the body does not cooperate with us, Maharaj has to really go through
the pains.

It is really amazing to see that great souls like our Guru Maharaj are walking on this
earth purifying it of all the sins constantly committed by us and magnanimously accepting
the tribulations on our behalf. Krishna must be really partial towards us to bestow His
glorious mercy in the form of such great souls while there are millions and billions of
people out in the world not even aware of the sacrifices these mahatmas do. While we
may come to understand their sacrifices, the next step is to follow in their footsteps and
do some sacrifices from our end as well.

In Srimad Bhagavatam we have a perfect example. Lord Siva shows his unlimited
magnanimity towards all the living entities by drinking the poison that comes out while
the demons and the demigods were engaged in churning the milk ocean. The poison
was so strong that just by the smell of it all the living entities were about to die. But to
relieve them of suffering, Lord Siva took the pain himself and held the poison in his
neck. In Srimad Bhagavatam 8.7.44, it is beautifully described,

tapyante loka-täpena sädhavaù präyaço janäù


paramärädhanaà tad dhi puruñasyäkhilätmanaù

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Suffering for Others

“It is said that great personalities almost always accept voluntary suffering because
of the suffering of people in general. This is considered the highest method of
worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present in everyone’s heart.”

Hence from Bhagavatam we get the second reason for why the mahatmas take
sufferings - it is the best way of worshiping the Supreme Lord Krishna. Since He is
present in everyone’s heart, Krishna does not want any of the living entities to suffer.
When the mahatmas take the pains of others, they relieve those souls from their
sufferings. This pleases the Supreme Lord to the maximum. This is the ultimate essence
of preaching. While preaching we face so many instances where we will sacrifice all
our time, energy, wealth etc to bring a soul to Krishna consciousness. But not everyone
will understand or appreciate our sacrifice. Rather they may even criticize us and
blaspheme us. But this is where the real test comes for the devotee - Is he preaching
to get the recognition of being a preacher and well-wisher, or is he preaching to save
that jiva and please the Supreme Lord?

We can take a leaf out of the book of our spiritual master and all mahatmas who follow
this magnanimous path of saving the living entities from sufferings, and be humbly
satisfied with whatever service we have done to our level best. Lastly, if we cannot do
even that, then we can at least pray sincerely to Krishna to keep these pure devotees
with us for as long as He can, so that one day or other their sacrifices for our well-
being will pierce through our dull brains and stone hearts.

- Kalacakra Krishna das, Bangalore.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Be a SAGE
It was a very spiritually uplifting experience to participate in the Dwaraka Ratha
yatra on 26.01.05 and the Rajkot Rath yathra on 28.01.05. The causeless mercy of
their Lordships Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarakadish and Sri Sri Radha-Neelamadhav, the
blessings of H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj and the untiring, sincere loving efforts
of the devotees made the yatras really successful.

The ongoing theme of the messages given by Maharaj was on the practical ways of how
not to slip into the material modes. Maharaj said that everyone of us want to become
Vaishnavas. But again and again we are being pulled back into the modes and this is
the practical problem faced by everyone of us. The big question is how to avoid
slipping into the modes. Here I am summarizing the various instructions given by
Maharaj to achieve this.

1. Carrying out our duty: In Kali-yuga everyone is engaged in one or the other duty so
that we can maintain ourselves. This duty has to be carried out with honesty and purity.
The best way to get rid of work is to do it perfectly. In that way, we can go to Krishna
the rest of the time with a peaceful mind.

2. Avoiding criticism: We should never let loose our tongue or otherwise we will be
destroyed. 75% of our time is being spent on criticising others and this way our vital
energy is lost. This vital energy should be saved so that we can execute our devotional
service with full force. We should not enjoy unnecessary happiness in the lower modes.

3. Leave the mental platform: Devotional service is completely independent of the


obnoxious mind. So we should completely leave the mental platform.

4. Don’t make sädhana a ritual: We should neither neglect our sädhana nor make it a
ritual. In our heart there should be no place for anything other than Krishna. Then
sanity will prevail. Sanity and full Krishna consciousness go hand-in-hand.

5. Never be lazy: Lethargy and devotional service go ill together. Prabhupada’s stick is
always warning us, “How many more births you want to take? How many more deaths
you want to face?” There is so much to be done and we should have busy engagement
serving Krishna. If we are not following this, then our lives become a heavy burden on
us filled with boredom.

6. Be fiery in devotional service: If at any point of time we feel weak in devotional


service, we should take the shelter of Srila Prabhupada very sincerely. He has given us
a lot of spiritual infrastructure in the form of so many Vedic literatures, conversations,
lectures and letters. Our lifetime is not enough to finish studying them.

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7. Absorption in Krishna-katha: Our lifestyle at home should change by complete


absorption in the nectarean topics of Krishna. This way the younger generation is also
saved.

8. Burning desire to preach: It is not enough if we are absorbed in Krishna consciousness.


We should have a burning desire to help others by preaching. The more we preach, the
more we are getting purified.

9. Understanding that everything is flickering: The following verse should be constantly


ringing in our mind like background music.

calat cittam calat vittam calat jivana yauvanam


caläcalam idam sarvam bhaktir yasya sa jivati

“Our mind is flickering. Our wealth is unsteady. Our own life and youth are only a
passing phase. There is steadiness and eternity only in devotional service.”

Ultimately in order to follow the above instructions and thus save ourselves from slipping
into the lower modes we have to become a SAGE.

Be
Simple
Austere
Grave (sober)
Energetic

If we become SAGE like this, then we can approach the greatest sage Srila Prabhupada,
who is the reservoir of bliss and is like a running river purifying our existence (sattva
saàçuddhiù).

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Organized Life
In November 2006, it was our good fortune in Abu Dhabi, that for an entire week we
could have the association and blessings of our spiritual master, H H Mahavishnu
Goswami Maharaj who is festive nature personified. In one of his classes Maharaj gave
very nice instructions to be applied in our practical life. I shall try to summarize a few of
the important instructions of Maharaj. He taught a beautiful verse from Bhagavad-Gita
18.51-53 and explained how to organize our life.

buddhyä viçuddhayä yukto dhåtyätmänaà niyamya ca


çabdädén viñayäàs tyaktvä räga-dveñau vyudasya ca

vivikta-sevé laghv-äçé yata-väk-käya-mänasaù


dhyäna-yoga-paro nityaà vairägyaà samupäçritaù

ahaìkäraà balaà darpaà kämaà krodhaà parigraham


vimucya nirmamaù çänto brahma-bhüyäya kalpate

“Being purified by his intelligence and controlling the mind with determination, giving
up the objects of sense gratification, being freed from attachment and hatred, one
who lives in a secluded place, who eats little, who controls his body, mind and power
of speech, who is always in trance and who is detached, free from false ego, false
strength, false pride, lust, anger, and acceptance of material things, free from false
proprietorship, and peaceful—such a person is certainly elevated to the position of
self-realization.”

1. Buddhyä: In the ancient ages kings were known as Räjarñi (Raja+Rñi). When one is
purified by intelligence, he keeps himself in the mode of goodness.

2. Vishudhayä: It is always positive to get up early in the morning. If regulation is not


there then spiritual pursuit is absent. We can’t get up early in the morning but if somebody
offers us a millions of Dirham (UAE Currency), we can stand from 12 pm (midnight).
We are lacking because swadhya is not there. We should be on right path, whatever
activity we do, with honesty, leading a simple life with certain spiritual values.

3. Dhrtätmanam: Self determination means to be regulated. Without regulation there is


no purity. We have to organize things in a regulative manner, otherwise life is nothing
but a complete mess. Our clothes are basically vertical and horizontal threads and while
washing them, we must take care that no thread is disturbed. If we take care of our
clothes, then our clothes will take care of us! We are not qualified for self realization
and we talk about Dhruva Maharaj, Prahlad Maharaj and Putana. The basic objective
is to be organized. Unless our existence is purified, everything is a waste. Religious
duties carried out for self enjoyment and recreation, should be avoided. If we follow
basic things, then our life will be as it should be, inclusive of Krishna Bhakti! Devotional
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Organized Life

service is based on foreground of knowledge, combined with purification. Sincerity


and determination are the seeds that help us grow on the right path.

4. Vivikta-sevi: We must choose a quiet environment in the house to meditate upon


Hari Näm. One, who is not attached to the objects of sense gratification, is free from
attachment and hatred. Such a detached person naturally prefers to live in a secluded
place.

5. Laghv-äsi: Eating habit should be controlled. One, who eats more than what is
necessary cannot control his body and mind. Our speech, body and mind should be
controlled as they are interrelated. Remember, if wealth is lost nothing is lost, if health is
lost something is lost, but if religion is lost then every thing is lost.

Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport that we must be satisfied with everything that is
offered to us by the grace of the Lord. We must not endeavor to acquire sense objects. Also, we
must not get angry in the absence of sense gratification. When one is completely free from
false ego, he becomes non-attached to all material things, and that is the stage of self-realization
of Brahman. This stage is called the brahma-bhuta stage. When one is free from the material
conception of life, he becomes peaceful and therefore cannot be agitated.

Let me pray at the lotus feet of Lord Krishna, Srila Prabhupada and Gurudeva that I may
have organized life with determination, free from sense gratification and pride.

- Suniti devi dasi, Sharjah.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Krishna says T.I.M.E. I Am


The following is an excerpt from the lecture given by our Guru Maharaj H H
Mahavishnu Goswami on 22.7.2007 on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.38 at Sri Sri Radha-
NeelaMadhav Dham, Rajkot.

kevayaà näma-rüpäbhyäà yadubhiù saha päëòaväù


bhavato ‘darçanaà yarhi håñékäëäm iveçituù

“As the name and fame of a particular body is finished with the disappearance of the
living spirit, similarly if You do not look upon us, all our fame and activities, along
with the Pânòdòavas and Yadus, will end at once.”

Maharaj explained, “We only wish well for others if we are really connected to heart.
Heart to heart connection is completely impossible in this material world. Our
relationships are always clouded by some selfish interest. Again the fact is that Krishna
is ignored. We fail to see Krishna in others and start discriminating. We never know
that those are all Krishna’s part and parcels. If we remembered this, our behavior would
be ideal and cheating will be completely absent. But here everybody tries to cheat each
other and in Kali-yuga cheating is very rampant. How many places will you be careful?
You can’t be everywhere. People think they are intelligent in this, they ask veiled
questions. The intention is something and they ask something else, to get the answer to
fit into their own interest. In straight-forward nature there is nothing to fear. Whatever
questions we ask, we get straight-forward answers. But in today’s world one’s stomach
is aching and he complains about the head, people will never show you the correct
problem.

As the mass of clouds that glide down due to the force of the wind, think that they
themselves are moving up and down, similarly everything is guided by the eternal
time. Wasting time, is like wasting Krishna, He is in front of us, in the form of time. In
the purport of verse 1.9.15 in Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada says, “käla is
identical with the Lord Himself, and therefore the influence of käla indicates the inexplicable
wish of the Lord Himself.” Inexplicable means unexplainable, e.g. a person in coma,
everything is functioning normally, but still the movement of the body is absent and
unexplainable. We suffer due to our karmas, but Pandavas were staying with Krishna.
How could they suffer? It was the desire of time that they should suffer, and that
cannot be explained why. Always the desire of the Lord is the supreme cause. When
we don’t understand, we don’t try to find out the reason, we just say, ‘Krishna desired
it.’ That is the correct way. Sometimes a small child dies in front of his grandparents.
All lament, but in the end, all say it was Krishna’s desire. Therefore kala is always
inexplicable, why the small child died we don’t know and how Krishna is saving us
from all the trouble, that also we don’t know. Every moment of our existence Krishna
is saving us from all the troubles, otherwise this body can never survive and it is not
meant to survive.
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Krishna says T.I.M.E I Am

Again it is inexplicable that such a complicated body why is it working since long and
why it stops we don’t know and nobody can know. As soon as one is neglected by
Krishna, then anything can happen. Whether we are in this body or not, Krishna
should not neglect us anytime, that should be our count. And if He neglects us, then
we should catch Him; but with this body it is very difficult to catch Him because
body wants time. First rest is a must. In rest, in deep sleep we have connection with
Krishna, so time goes away fast because time is Krishna. So these things can never be
explained. But we have to accept it as His desire. That is it. Nothing else. We are
talking all this and how much suffering we have to have, or how much enjoyment we
want to have, depends on His desire. In enjoyment we forget Krishna, but in miseries
we do remember Him. Many a times our miseries are inexplicable and when we
cannot explain, we try to blame so many people around us. That is a material tendency,
but those who are Krishna conscious, they keep quiet. So whatever difficulty may
arise in our life also, always there are inexplicable facts. So don’t worry. Just be quiet
and keep your eyes open. We don’t see käla and even if we see käla we don’t know
that it is identical to Krishna. So the preaching must be in full force. Till we are alive
we should be ready to see anything. Today we are all right, so make the best of it.
Krishna Himself says, ‘I am T.I.M.E’ - There-Is-Myself-Everywhere.

In the purport of Srimad Bhagavatam 1.9.14, Srila Prabhupada says – Everyone has to
bear the actions and reactions of time as long as one is within the material world...One
should not be disturbed by the tricks of eternal time. Whatever is happening is Krishna’s
desire. So don’t lament. We must know that our service, our business, our seva or
whatever is going on is because of His desire. Otherwise as soon as He neglects us,
everything collapses like a castle of cards. Arjuna won against the Kauravas but as soon
as Krishna left this planet, Arjuna was defeated by few cowherd men. His strength
completely vanished. We are able to do something, it is because of Him, how can we
neglect Him? Everywhere, this has to be insisted. Krishna says “bahunam janmanäm
ante...” This is knowledge, “Come what may, be with Krishna.” In the material world we
are always prone to be attracted by the illusory energy - mäyä but we have to stop this
and come to Krishna. So we have to catch Krishna and by remembering, seeing His
pictures, by writing or by reading books we can catch Krishna. So the more you catch
Him, eventually He will not leave you, but there should be sincerity. Whole of life
time, just try to catch Him so that at the end of the life, we might see Him. This all is
very easy to say, but very difficult to put into practice, because putting into practice
means you have to forgo all your comforts and penances are involved. And when
there is penance, we don’t want to do it.

In the material world everyone is fed up with the same things. Somehow or the other
with the introduction of Krishna or our Krishna consciousness activities, this should be
avoided. Till the end there should be attraction towards Krishna otherwise life itself
becomes a burden. Without Krishna in the waning age, the life really becomes a burden.
Krishna’s strength never deteriorates, so if we are connected to Him, our deterioration

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will also be slow. In this world everything changes, even our body. We try to stop
this deterioration with money and medicines, but that makes our condition still worse.
But deterioration is must as you advance in your age, if it is not there than it is
surprising and according to that we have to change our food habits. Control should
be there otherwise, how can you face deterioration? Therefore Bhagavatam insist
that our food must be like medicine and our medicine should be our food. Vedic
cooking depends on these principles, we use all different spices. Our food habits
must be simple. There is no way to stop deterioration, not even medicines. Bhagavatam
and Bhagavad-Gita insist on chanting and any other method will be short always to
achieve our goal. All these eternal values must be put into practice for our health
while we are alive and for our comfortable death. Do unflinching devotional service
always till your last breath, only then there is some chance that at the end you may
remember Krishna. We are going back to Him, so meditate on Him.

The more you hanker after material things the more you get anchored with it. We are
always anchored to our wife, our goals, and our money by which we can never move
forward. We may do anything, but there should be no attachment. Pay attention to
one thing – sayyam. Sayyam means controlling, this is one word to summarise Gita
and this is what Bhagavatam is all about. Control your senses, your eating, sleeping
and mating habits. Vamandev was satisfied with only three steps though Bali Maharaja
kept offering more but as a brahmacari He said, “I ask only that I require or need.”
And another is santosh - this will always protect you. Be satisfied in your condition,
others may have anything or everything but we have our things. There is no need for
hankering, be satisfied and this can be possible only by adding Krishna into our life.
We always examine to find out Krishna because we have seen Him in the womb of
our mother. Remember Käla or Krishna and try to take up material existence
whichever way He provides us. Then we will be happy. Material existence can never
make you happy. Please try to depend on Krishna, He is our guardian. He guards and
He is not a material guardian. Still with all this knowledge our faith dwindles. We put
our faith somewhere else other than Him, that is our mistake and because of this we
never win. We don’t believe in transcendence at all, His power we don’t believe and
whether we believe or not, we are surrounded by Him, inside and outside.”

I beg for the blessing of Gurudev to shower upon me his mercy so that I be very satisfied
the way my Lord keeps me and glorify His holy name always.

- Nayanapriya Krishna das, Rajkot.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Realizing the Importance of Time
His Holiness Mahavishnu Gosvami Maharaj, our most merciful saviour and master in
all aspects of life, was blessing us with his visit to London from 3rd June 2008 till 12th
June 2008. As always, Maharaj gave everyone the most wonderful association, showing
us the practical way of real Krishna consciousness by his own example of nityam
bhagavata-sevaya. Here is the first part of my notes from Maharaj’s instructions during
this visit, from a class on Srimad Bhagavatam 4.11.19, on June 5th, 2008.

so ‘nanto ‘nta-karaù kälo ‘nädir ädi-kåd avyayaù


janaà janena janayan märayan måtyunäntakam

“My dear Dhruva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is ever existing, but in the
form of time, He is the killer of everything. He has no beginning, although He is the
beginning of everything, nor is He ever exhaustible, although everything is exhausted
in due course of time. The living entities are created through the agency of the father
and killed through the agency of death, but He is perpetually free of birth and death.”

(H. G. Devakinandan Prabhu informed us that the Sanskrit of this verse is exactly the
same as Srimad Bhagavatam 3.29.45, so we also read that translation, below.

“The eternal time factor has no beginning and no end. It is the representative of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, the maker of the criminal world. It brings about
the end of the phenomenal world, it carries on the work of creation by bringing one
individual into existence from another, and likewise it dissolves the universe by
destroying even the lord of death, Yamaraja.”

After this, Maharaj mentioned that there are so many verses about ‘time’ and that we
should make a separate booklet about it. From Maharaj’s class I collected 10 points to
meditate on in order not to waste time.

1. Careful continuous devotional service


It is our duty not to waste time (kälakñepa). We should be very careful. Continuous
devotional service should go on. The main symptom of devotional service is to feel
concern for the living entities, “How can they go back to Godhead?”.

2. Ginger and fresh food – Naturally healthy


For good working condition of the body, only ginger is needed. Sickness is the result of
the toxins created in our body. Food should be fresh. Now refrigerator is there. “If fresh
is not available, refrigerated is available!” What can stop us from all these artificial
necessities?

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3. Copying Krishna only complicates


So many big arrangements, just to copy Krishna. Once they even tried to copy the brain;
whole house in size – and Krishna is only 6 inches in the heart! We have big airplane,
which needs big airport. But the mosquito, it doesn’t need any airport to take off. See
the simplicity of Krishna’s arrangement. If the mosquito needed airport, the whole
creation would be mosquito-airport!

4. Goswamis S.A.T. to understand the holy name


See the Goswamis (of Vrndavana) – except Harinama there was nothing! If we
understand the power of the holy name, nämnäm akäri bahudhä nija-sarva-shaktis,
there is no need to go anywhere. S-A-T, the Supreme Absolute Truth – all the sages,
they SAT!

5. Real education
Why schools and hospitals? Real education is:

mätåvat para-däreñu para-dravyeñu loñöravat


ätmavat sarva-bhüteñu yaù paçyati sa paëòitaù

“One who considers another’s wife as his mother, another’s possessions as a lump of
dirt and treats all other living beings as he would himself, is considered to be an
educated man.”

This modern education is a great waste of energy. Because after 10-15 years of education,
no work is available for them. The real need today is farming. “We want to eat three
times a day.” So produce.

6. Less travelling – More movement at home


Everybody’s got millions of engagements and keep moving around hither and thither –
but no time to chant. People should be trained to perform mangala-arati at their own
homes daily instead of running around! Movement means pleasing attitude. Temple
should have this pleasing mood.

7. Less meetings – More chanting


All other activities except chanting, is a great waste of time. Prabhupada was upset with
the management meetings, going on for so long time. There is no need of so much
talking. “Why don’t you come down and chant?”

8. Don’t waste time with the fashions of the world


“We will not do that (real devotional activities). It’s out of date”. What is in-date then?
“Let some models dance there.” (Maharaj chuckles) Please, we should recognize the
importance of time and not waste it.

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Realizing the Importance of Time

9. Be self-satisfied with serious devotional service


We don’t understand because we don’t study at all and completely waste our time
hankering for so many things. Why can’t we be ätmäräma(self-satisfied) in devotional
service?

10. Short puja - Use time for serious studying and chanting
So, please, get out of all these committees and do some solid things: serious studying
and preaching. Our emphasis should be on chanting the holy names and serious study
of Srila Prabhupada’s books.

As we are bankrupt and we are under the illusion that we are doing devotional service,
Maharaj told us to please meditate on these things, and insist on this everywhere also.

- Amoghadrk Krishna das, Denmark.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Time - Use it or Lose it


The following is a transcription of a part of an astounding lecture given by our spiritual
master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj in South Africa.

“There is no need of running away from the responsibilities but there is a need of
waking up. Don’t run away but wake up in your own situations. And know that all
situations, however good or bad, are temporary by nature. Sooner or later the situations
are going to change because the medium of the situation, which is our body, is ever
changing. Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita 2.13:

dehino ‘smin yathä dehe kaumäraà yauvanaà jarä


tathä dehäntara-präptir dhéras tatra na muhyati

Dehino, this soul, dehino ’smin yathä dehe, kaumäram yauvanam jarä it has accepted this
body. In this body it was a child before. We were two years old, we were four years old,
we were ten years old. All those bodies are gone. Now you may be youth or middle
aged or old or whatever it is, and soon the body will change dehäntaram anupräpya
präktanam tyajate vapuh (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.39).

In Bhagavatam it is very nicely said that, dehäntaram anupräpya we will have to change
the body and according to our activities we’ll have to accept another body. This process
is going on continuously and we don’t know that the time is acting on every constituent
of the material manifestation. And this is how Krishna controls everybody. This chair
was manufactured, this table was manufactured. This microphone was manufactured.
At the moment they are maintained and so we are using them. And the time will
come when they will fall apart and be useless to us. That is destruction. All these
material things they are under the law of the eternal time. And eternal time is the
eternal weapon in the hands of Krishna.

Krishna controls everything through the time, and on that field we don’t have any
control. We living entities can control anything and everything but not time. You may
have amassed wealth, you may be in a very beautiful country, but your body has to go
old. There is nothing you can do about it. Once the living entity who understands this
hand of Krishna on everything in the material manifestation, then he or she understands
the need of coming to Bhagavad-Gita and singing the glories of Bhagavad-Gita, singing
the glories of God, Krishna and following a very clean cut life. Honest, thoroughly
honest. As soon as we understand these things, we come to the glorification of the Lord
because time is in His hands, and time is not under our control. And herein we are
helpless. If you waste your time, then time cannot come back; kshana eko ’pi na labhya
svarna-kotibhih (Chanakya-shloka 34) You may be ready to spend millions of dollars
or rands (South African currency), but you cannot get today morning. It’s gone, it’s
gone.

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Time - Use it or Lose it

So when you utilize the time, you should be very miser about it. You should utilize
the time very productively. Otherwise time is gone, never can we regain. However
hard we try, we cannot regain the time. It is very nicely said in English, either you
use it or lose it. If you use it, it is to your advantage. If you lose it, you’re dead, gone,
the time is gone. This thing, one who understands, then they get attached to the
Supreme Lord, because under His control, the time is there. And if you can please
Him, then maybe the time will not have that acute effect on your body or your
possessions or your family. This is the meaning of the liberation, that we are liberated
from the effect of time. These devotees, see within six months they shine, you know?
And we may see after two years that they become younger and not older. This is how
to some extent they win over the time because the controller of the time is in their
possession. If you possess Krishna every second of your existence then time is under
your control.”

- Anantavijaya Krishna das, Minneapolis.


hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Scriptural Injunctions
Our beloved Guru Maharaj is always insisting for us to seriously study the scriptures,
understand them and put them into practice. We have not taken up the study of the
scriptures with seriousness because we do not realize the consequences of ignoring the
scriptural injunctions. Recently I was listening to a very wonderful lecture given by our
beloved Guru Maharaj on the following verse from Srimad Bhagavad-Gita 16.23 which
makes us understand the importance of following the scriptural injunctions.

yaù çästra-vidhim utsåjya vartate käma-kärataù


na sa siddhim aväpnoti na sukhaà na paräà gatim

“He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains
neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.”

I am trying herewith to share the nectarean instructions given by Maharaj on the above
verse under the following headings:

1. Scriptures guide us and help us to think about our supreme destination.

2. To think about the supreme destination, a healthy body and a satisfied mind are
prerequisites.

3. To have a satisfied mind, prescribed duties must be immaculately performed.

4. Prescribed duties depend upon the spiritual and social divisions we belong to.

The above verse summarises our own existence and at the same time guides us on
practically what is our duty and how we are behaving ourselves and the consequences
of our behaviour.

1. Scriptures guide us and help us to think about our supreme destination:


The important thing is to remember that the basic scriptures, particularly Srimad
Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam and Caitanya caritamrita are meant for guiding the
humanity at large for our day-to-day life. It is a highly practical science. If you want to
go to the fourth floor from the ground floor, then we have the stairs to go up and also
the lift. So the same person can just take the lift and go up immediately. This is like that.
Once you come here, immediately you are picked up from the material existence to the
spiritual realm. We cannot ignore the ground floor because we have the basic material
ingredients in our body. And these are five as you know, earth, water, fire, air and ether
and because we have the gross elements in our body, however hard we try we cannot
forsake our body and go higher up. So we have to find some ways in which we can
practically rise ourselves. And herein the shästras have the important role to play in our
lives. We can move our hand with none of the capacity of our blood, bones and other
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Scriptural Injunctions

material ingredients. The body has to have the spiritual spark to enable movement.
As soon as the soul goes away, the body is the same but it cannot move. The movement
is the sole proprietorship of the spiritual spark. And this spiritual spark cannot survive
on its own because it is very tiny. So it has to have the continuous help from the
Supreme spirit. Otherwise it can never survive. The soul and the Supersoul are situated
in our heart. Lord Krishna says ‘sarvasya cäham hrdi sannivishto’- “I am situated in
everyone’s heart” and because the Supersoul is there with the individual soul, He
continually guides the soul on how to behave in this world. It is only when we ignore
the voice of the Supersoul, then we are in difficulty. Supersoul’s voice is outwardly
expressed by the scriptures. So there are some do’s and don’ts if you want to be
happy in this world. Suppose you buy a new camera, the company issues a booklet
along with the camera. If you follow the booklet, the camera operates very nicely and
you get nice pictures. Once you disregard the booklet, you may break the camera or
pictures will not be according to the expectations. In the same way, this body is
created by Krishna and He knows how this body should behave in this world so that
life will be happy. So He has to issue a booklet and that is Srimad Bhagavad-Gita.
Further study of Bhagavad-Gita is very nicely given in detail in the pages of Srimad
Bhagavatam. But Bhagavad-Gita is the preliminary science. Somehow or the other,
this scripture is very popular all over the world. Before Srila Prabhupada translated,
there were nearly 400 translations of this scripture outside India and everybody is
attracted to this scripture because it gives the practical instructions. That is shastra
vidhi - the injunctions of the shastras. And we know from the above verse that if we
disregard the scriptural injunctions and act whimsically, we can neither attain
happiness, nor perfection nor the supreme destination. This is very easy to understand.

Then the next question comes as to what are the injunctions of the scriptures? Then we
must know it in order to behave accordingly. These injunctions are given in the pages
of the scriptures so that we can have a healthy living.

Thus the first requirement is to have a healthy body and a satisfied mind so that we can
think about our supreme destination.

2. To think about the supreme destination, a healthy body and a satisfied mind are
prerequisites:
First our body must be healthy and that is the first requirement. Unless the body is
healthy, the pressure is normal, and the circulation is going on alright, the digestion is
going on alright, then only we can sit here and think about our own destination and the
whole function of the body requires the peace of mind. The mind is the controlling unit
of the whole body. And unless this controlling unit is peaceful, the body cannot function
properly. The mind must be satisfied. If the mind is unsteady and unsatisfied, then the
whole body and the life becomes unsteady and unsatisfied. We want to escape that
unsteady situation and that is why we have these places Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and
Srimad Bhagavatam and wherein we come at least for one hour and our mind is steady.

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3. To have a satisfied mind, prescribed duties must be immaculately performed:


In the Srimad Bhagavatam, the formula is given as to how the mind can remain satisfied.
Srimad Bhagavatam 4.20.9 states,

yaù sva-dharmeëa mäà nityaà niräçéù çraddhayänvitaù


bhajate çanakais tasya mano räjan prasédati

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, continued: My dear King Prthu,
when one situated in his occupational duty engages in My loving service without
motive for material gain, he gradually becomes very satisfied within.”

This is the injunction. This is our practical instruction. The prescribed duties (sva dharma)
must be performed immaculately well. We are all differently situated in the material
world. There are so many types of work available, but whatever work we are doing,
must be immaculately performed. We should be sincere workers and not shirkers. The
shirkers cannot attain anything in this life.

According to the scriptures and if we see practically, our whole life in this age of quarrel
and hypocrisy – Kali-yuga is full of inebrities. We see that we are short-lived. We see
that we are lazy. We see that we are quarrelsome. We see that we are misguided. We feel
that we are unlucky and on top of these, again we are completely disturbed all the time.
This is our position in this age, but the shastras try to lovingly take us out of these
inebrieties. That is the injunctions of the scriptures. The shastras say, ‘My dear child, if
you want to get out of these inebrieties, perform your duty very nicely’. ‘niyatam kuru
karma tvam karma jyäyo hi akarmanah’. The prescribed duties must be performed very
nicely and if you do so, there will be continuous flow of Lakshmi in your life and if the
continuous flow of Lakshmi is there, you can spare one hour here to hear about the
scriptures. If you are worried about your own bread, you can never understand these
things. This is the practical point. No shastras say that you should leave everything and
run away. But even then there are a few living entities who are misfits into the society.
However they try, they cannot fit into the society like a square peg in a round hole.
However hard they try to fit, they hardly fit. For them, renunciation is the best. So
please renounce and come to these places to serve. This is the main thing to be
understood. As I told you, the shastras are very practical.

Now the next question comes as to what is the prescribed duty? It is definitely decided
in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam that there are four spiritual divisions
and four social divisions.

4. Prescribed duties depend upon the spiritual and social divisions to which we belong:
According to the scriptures, one’s life is divided in to four 25 years division each.
First 25 years we obtain knowledge (Brahmacari ashrama). Nowadays, we have to
obtain knowledge to qualify ourselves materially. Formerly it was very nice that they
were going to the Gurukula to obtain the knowledge of the Supreme Absolute Truth.

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Scriptural Injunctions

Even now it is needed, but material knowledge is also needed. You have to fit into the
society. So once you complete 25 years of acquiring knowledge, if you cannot control
your senses, then you have to get married and there is legalized sense gratification.
In marriage (Grhastha ahrama), you may have children, you may earn money, and
you may help all the other ashramas.

After 50 years, you should slowly and gradually retire from all the worldly things and in
this situation (Vänaprastha ashrama), try to increase the activities aimed at the supreme
destination. Srimad Bhagavatam reminds us of our supreme duty in 1.2.6:

sa vai puàsäà paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokñaje


ahaituky apratihatä yayätmä suprasédati

“The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain
to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must
be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.”

Devotional service means, some service must be there. Unless you perform some type
of service, even your grhastha ashram is a failure. The second ashram, the second 25
years, whatever work you are doing, it should be performed very nicely. As soon as
you are bit successful there, then the retirement will be alright. You will get pension
or you might have already earned money, so that you can rely on. So, third ashram
also goes very nicely. But again in the third ashram, you are increasing the knowledge
of the scriptures guiding you to the supreme destination and increasing your sincere
devotional service and if you survive for 60/65 years, please renounce before Yamaraja
forces you to renounce. Otherwise anyway you cannot have anything with you. The
time is bound to come. Today your hairs are black, tomorrow it will be mixed black
and grey and soon it will be completely grey and at this stage we must renounce.
Otherwise in the end, we will be forced to renounce. You cannot request Yamaraja
to hold on till you go to the bank and withdraw the money. Yamaraja will say that
‘Now your account is my account’. Everything will be snatched from you. Your body is
also snatched in the end. You can’t have anything. Better during the lifetime, we try
to cultivate some charitable disposition. If we are attached till the end of life, your
death will be very horrible, because we don’t want to die and we have to die. The
struggle goes on. There was Prime Minister Churchill in England and he was in coma
for 6 months. Devotees went to Srila Prabhupada and said that neither he survives
nor is he dead. Prabhupada said that his file with Yamaraja is very big and so Yamaraja
is sorting out his next body. Do anything and everything, but don’t increase your file
with Yamaraja. Otherwise death will be horrible.

Thus these are the spiritual divisions of brahmacarya, grhastha, vänaprastha and sannyäsa.
The four social divisions (varnas) are the intelligent class or the brahmanas, the military
class or the kshatriyas, the business class or the vaishyas and the labour class or the
shudras. We are following these divisions even now in one form or the other.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

The first division is the intelligent class. Every society has intelligent class. They
guide the lower classes. The second is the military class who look after the protection.
The third is the business class who look after agriculture, cow protection etc., and
the shudra class, they serve others.

If we follow these duties, you must belong to one varna and one ashrama. If you are
intelligent class and are in the first ashrama, your prescribed duty is to study in school
or college. But to function in these 8 divisions, one strong ashrama must be there and
that is the grhastha ashrama. If grhastha ashrama is strong, all other things fall in order.
Because in that ashram only, you are allowed to have a bit of sense gratification and
earning money. If you are well situated, you will take care of your own children i.e.,
brahmachari is taken care of and the vänaprasthis - those who are retired and the sannyasis
- the renounced order is also taken care of. So grhastha ashrama must be ideally followed.
But the lack of ideal grhastha ashrama is the problem in the modern society and day-by-
day, it is becoming worse and there is complete degradation. If we really love our children,
as we always claim, the minimum we can give them is the real father and the mother. In
case of separation of the parents, the children become mental, because children want
the love of both the father and the mother, and if one is missing, he is half untrained.
And because of that, they become problem children and in the whole of life they also
treat anybody in anyway. They do not know the scriptures. They don’t want to know.
We are all very lucky to come under the roof of Srila Prabhupada and he is the saint
who has guided us practically through these pages. He is the first saint who has not only
given us philosophy, but also the practical side. We have now large communities who
are following these divisions. In Alachua, Florida, they have a nice community and
there are around 2000 American Vaishnava families and they have a nice temple and
the whole life is situated around the temple.

It is Srila Prabhupada’s mercy that we have these places where we can go and sit silently
and hear the things which are worth hearing. Otherwise to hear also is impossible.
Everywhere we go, we hear so much scratch. So these places are the gift of Srila
Prabhupada and we are eternally indebted to him. By giving these practical methods,
Prabhupada has completely purified millions of generations to come. These commentaries
and purports of Srila Prabhupada are here to stay for at least 10000 years and I would
request you to come to these places and make your life successful. Take some small
book written by Srila Prabhupada and you can derive eternal instructions in a nutshell.
If you abide by these instructions, your life can never go wrong. If we do not follow
these injunctions, then there is no perfection, no happiness and what to talk of supreme
destination. All these become alien to us. Always keep a small book written by Srila
Prabhupada in your purse and whenever you get anytime in bus or wherever, please
open and go through one paragraph and it will guide you. This is shästra vidhi and if
you give up this, then your life is less than an animal. Donkey is a celebrated fool animal
in animal kingdom also. The horse, the cow and the other animals know that donkey is
a fool. To that extent he is fool. But if you offer him a glass of beer, he will not touch it.

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Scriptural Injunctions

But we drink it, which means that we are less than a donkey. Our level completely
goes down as soon as we do not hear the scriptures.

By following the scriptural injunctions, from our own material life, we are picked up
and taken up to the highest realm of Krishna. If we change our lifestyle according to the
scriptures, we have a healthy life. Otherwise we are always sick. If we are not at ease, we
are diseased, and these are the places where you can have this ease. Sit silent and meditate
on Krishna, perform kirtana, chant and hear and this gives us the ease. If we do not
follow the shästras, we are diseased and to cure this we run around the hospitals like
mad persons and the doctors do not understand anything and they carry out experiments
with our body. The scriptural injunctions are in front of us. As soon as we follow,
everything falls in order. Hence it is our duty to read the scriptures, understand them
and follow to the best of our ability.

- Vaijayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

249
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Srimad Bhagavatam - The Means of Conquest


The following is an excerpt from the lecture given by our Guru Maharaj H H
Mahavishnu Goswami on December 10, 2006 at Sri Sri Radha-NeelaMadhav Dham,
Rajkot.
Maharaj began by advising us to always recite verse from Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.4.
before reading Srimad Bhagavatam.

näräyaëaà namaskåtya naraà caiva narottamam


devéà sarasvatéà vyäsaà tato jayam udérayet

“Before reciting this Srimad Bhagavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one
should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Narayana, unto
Nara-narayana Rshi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvati, the goddess
of learning, and unto Srila Vyasadeva, the author.”

From the translation, he said the seven words “which is the very means of conquest”
are very hard to understand for the whole lifetime, and what to speak of understanding
the rest of the whole Bhagavatam.

He explained further, “We all want to conquer something or the other, you may conquer
many things such as high status, wealth or even a state or a country, but unless our
mind and our senses are conquered, we cannot move an inch towards spirituality.
Even when we are in the temple, our mind is wandering and we are moving under the
dictation of the mind. We pose that we chant but we really don’t. Without meditating
on the personal form of Krishna how can we stablilize our mind? We have to study
Bhagavat-Gita and Bhagavatam (that too only Srila Prabhupada’s) on a regular basis
without any excuses. Everything is easily achievable, but not devotional path because
it is like walking on a sharp razor. To achieve success in this path, we have to be truly
very innocent in our devotion, just like a small child - unconditional devotional service.
Our material activities are due to our material body, but to get rid of this process of
birth and death Bhagavatam is the only answer. Through Bhagavatam anything can
be conquered!

I am sorry to say, but our words have no potency, whatever we may speak, and the
reason is because we do not follow them. With a cigarette in your hand, how can you
ask others to stop smoking? Your words will never be relevant unless you become
practical with those words. The whole world accepted and adored Prabhupada not
only because he translated Gita and Bhagavatam in its original format, but because
Prabhupada was practical in his words and in all that he preached. Needless to say
his life was non-different from Bhagavatam - L.L.B., Live Like Bhagavatam. In which
business do you get profit of billions by investing a mere 40 rupees only? Today we
can see ISKCON, a multi-billion society and still flourishing. The Juhu temple has
come out of the 40 Rupees! The Mayapur temple has manifested out of the 40 Rupees!
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Srimad Bhagavatam - The Means of Conquest

Every one of our temples in the world has its origin in the 40 Rupees that he carried
with him to the US first time. More than that, the real mission of the society to
educate human beings about Krishna and the easy way to perform bhakti is the most
non-stop activity. With 40 rupees so many thousands of people have been gifted with
pure and transcendental knowledge and the clean straight path, Back to Godhead.
Srila Prabhupada was Simple - Serious - Sincere - Satisfied and that is why he was
Successful. When you surrender yourself to this power of ‘S’ of Srila Prabhupada,
success is sure to come.

I beg for the blessings of Gurudeva whose mercy alone can make us successful in our
attempt to glorify the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna.

- Nayanapriya Krishna das, Rajkot.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

251
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Srimad Bhagavatam in One Hand, Duster in the Other


Our revered spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj is the ideal example
of an exalted devotee with exalted service attitude. Few days ago I was studying
about the glories of King Prataparudra and was reminded of a verse in Srimad
Bhagavatam, describing the service attitude of Uddhava, a pure devotee of the Lord
in Srimad Bhagavatam 3.2.3:
sa kathaà sevayä tasya kälena jarasaà gataù
påñöo värtäà pratibrüyäd bhartuù pädäv anusmaran

“Uddhava thus served the Lord continually from childhood, and in his old age that
attitude of service never slackened. As soon as he was asked about the message of the
Lord, he at once remembered all about Him.”

From Uddhava, it can be learnt that if one serves the Lord continuously, from as early
as possible, then even in old age, or senior age, that attitude and fire of service will
never slacken and leave us. Srila Prabhupada explains, in his purport, that the reason
for this is as follows:-

“Transcendental service to the Lord is not mundane. The service attitude of the devotee
gradually increases and never becomes slackened. Generally, in old age a person is allowed
retirement from mundane service. But in the transcendental service of the Lord there is no
retirement at all; on the contrary, the service attitude increases more and more with the
progress of age. In the transcendental service there is no satiation, and therefore there is no
retirement. Materially, when a man becomes tired by rendering service in his physical body,
he is allowed retirement, but in the transcendental service there is no feeling of fatigue because
it is spiritual service and is not on the bodily plane. Service on the bodily plane dwindles as
the body grows older, but the spirit is never old, and therefore on the spiritual plane the
service is never tiresome.”

Maharaj is the perfect example of tireless service to the Lord. From his childhood,
Maharaj served his family deities of Laddu Gopal with great enthusiasm and love. In old
age, at 87 years this year, Maharaj is still serving the Lord tirelessly. I remember in
Dwaraka, a few years back, I saw Maharaj personally cleaning dust from the make-shift
deity room of Their Lordships Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarakadish, bending down to pick
loose flowers, despite enduring great difficulty in movement. That was when I realised
the true import of this verse. As Srila Prabhupada further states: “Uddhava undoubtedly
became old, but that does not mean that his spirit became old.”

Maharaj, particularly last year, gave us the powerful slogan to please him and for success
in devotional service - “In one hand, there should be Bhagavatam, in the other, there
should be a duster to clean!”. That in essence is why King Prataparudra gained the
mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In Madhya lila, the King desired to render service to
the Lord, but Mahaprabhu stoutly refused to even grant him audience, as the King
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Srimad Bhagavatam in One Hand, Duster in the Other

was purportedly the representative of all that is materialistic in this world. Great
devotees like Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, Ramananda Raya, Srinivas Acarya, Govinda
and even Lord Nityananda Prabhu tried to intercede and begged the Lord to grant
darshan and blessings to the King, but to no avail! Mahaprabhuji shut his ears and
threatened to leave them if they spoke of the King again! Mahaprabhu even embraced
the King’s son in his garden and gave him benediction of darshan, but not the King!
The King was definitely “holding” Bhagavatam in one hand, because he was very
devoted and always chanting and remembering the Lord. But Mahaprabhu refused to
yield, until the day when He saw the King “hold” a broom in his hand, and despite
being the monarch of the land, he submissively and simply swept the floor in front of
Lord Jagannath to walk by, like a mere sweeper. In Madhya lila 13.18 and 13.19,
Srila Prabhupada writes:

“Although the King was the most exalted respectable person, still he accepted menial service
for the Lord; he therefore became a suitable candidate for receiving the Lord’s mercy.
Upon seeing the King engaged in such menial service, Caitanya Mahaprabhu became
very happy. Simply by rendering this service, the King received the mercy of the Lord.”
What is imperative to note is that it was only after the King performed menial service
for the pleasure of the Lord, not for himself, nor for showing off, that the Lord granted
him the opportunity to massage His legs and recite the prayers of the Gopis in 10th
Canto 31st Chapter Srimad Bhagavatam.

Why Maharaj has emphasised, and practiced, menial service with serious study of Srimad
Bhagavatam is explained very nicely in the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam and Caitanya
Caritamrta. So if we perform menial service readily, getting our hands and feet dirtied,
exhausted and fatigued, and at whatever age we may be, but always under the direction
of the spiritual master and side-by-side, seriously study Srimad Bhagavatam, by Guru’s
mercy, we will obtain devotional service.

- Devakinandan das, Singapore.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

253
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Genuine vs Fake Religion


His Holiness Mahavishnu Gosvami Maharaj is always kindly showing us the doubtless
way of pure devotional service by the torchlight of transcendental knowledge, as in the
following class on the Srimad Bhagavatam 6.16.41, given in London, July 7, 2008.

viñama-matir na yatra nåëäà


tvam aham iti mama taveti ca yad anyatra
viñama-dhiyä racito yaù
sa hy aviçuddhaù kñayiñëur adharma-bahulaù

“Being full of contradictions, all forms of religion but Bhagavata-dharma work under
conceptions of fruitive results and distinctions of “you and I” and “yours and mine.”
The followers of Srimad Bhagavatam have no such consciousness. They are all Krishna
conscious; thinking that they are Krishna’s and Krishna is theirs. There are other,
low-class religious systems, which are contemplated for the killing of enemies or the
gain of mystic power, but such religious systems, being full of passion and envy, are
impure and temporary. Because they are full of envy, they are full of irreligion.”

(H G Devakinandan Prabhu informed us that this verse, being part of King Citraketu’s
prayers to the Lord, made in a special meter not found elsewhere in the Bhagavatam,
can be recited in the Damodarashtakam tune).

We started by reading Srila Prabhupada’s purport: “Bhagavata-dharma has no


contradictions. Conceptions of “your religion” and “my religion” are completely absent from
Bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavata-dharma means following the orders given by the Supreme
Lord, Bhagavan, as stated in Bhagavad-Gita: sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekam sharanam
vraja [Bg. 18.66]. God is one, and God is for everyone. Therefore everyone must surrender
to God. That is the pure conception of religion. Whatever God orders constitute religion
(dharmaà tu säkñäd bhagavat-praëétam [SB 6.3.19]). In Bhagavata-dharma there is no
question of “what you believe” and “what I believe.” Everyone must believe in the Supreme
Lord and carry out His orders. änukülyena kåñëänu-çélanaà: [Cc. Madhya 19.167] whatever
Krishna says—whatever God says—should be directly carried out. That is dharma, religion.”

Maharaj said, “The religious systems started by men are impure, temporary and full
of irreligion.We should remember that Srimad Bhagavatam is the root of everything
– including all religious systems.

For example, in all religions, whenever we talk about God, unknowingly the finger
points up. But it is only Srimad Bhagavatam who has the scientific descriptions of all the
planetary systems and their directions. So we have to believe this, because apart from
this there is nothing.

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Genuine vs Fake Religion

The Proof :
The ruling religion is forced upon the people. Take for example how Christianity
came into India. Then before Islam was the ruling religion. Before, in India, this “I”
and “my” was completely absent, all until the caste system became rigid. We must
have firm conviction that Krishna is sarva kärana käranam (the cause of all causes).
To understand Vedic culture is the only goal of life. Otherwise, there is no culture at
all. We can see the proof: they glow! If your religion is best, why can’t we see it on
your face? Lamentation is there only due to:

a) Lack of faith in Krishna: We do not have any faith at all in Krishna.

b) Lack of austerities: (Maharaj answers a question about practicing yoga to attract


people to Krishna Consciousness) But what sädhana you have, that western people will
be attracted to you? Coming there in jeans and t-shirt, what are you going to teach? The
problem is: We’re not serious to find out the root, because the austerities are not there.
At four o’ clock we have to wake up.

c) Our greedy nature: Now honesty is completely absent in India. The higher values
are completely absent because of our greedy nature. And now the need is also there,
because nothing is available. Our consciousness is completely bankrupt. How many
years will it take in Krishna consciousness to purify that nature?

Nobody is ready to do the austerities. Unless we stand up at four o’clock in the morning
– you will not come to your senses. (Maharaj sings a Gujarati folk song) Here, the
morning routine; getting up before sunrise, brushing teeth with salt, taking bath and so
on is explained in very simple language.”

(We continue reading from the purport) “If one is actually Krishna conscious, he cannot
have any enemies. Since his only engagement is to induce others to surrender to Krishna, or
God, how can he have enemies? If one advocates the Hindu religion, the Muslim religion, the
Christian religion, this religion or that religion, there will be conflicts. History shows that
the followers of religious systems without a clear conception of God have fought with one
another. There are many instances of this in human history, but systems of religion that do
not concentrate upon service to the Supreme are temporary and cannot last for long because
they are full of envy.”

The Gist of the Whole Thing: Just sit with the Srimad Bhagavatam, read one paragraph
and understand it. There’s nobody needed to accompany you. Alone! Alone means
with scripture. Computer may be effective for research, but at the same time, misuse
of computer is there: “I have to check my mail” and so on. Association is beneficial if
it’s like-minded association. Unless we associate with like-minded people, there is
no gain. Now Srila Prabhupada is available everywhere in his books, so we can take
advantage easily. But we take only what we think is suitable to us; that’s the problem.

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

As soon as doubt creeps in, we’re on our way out. Therefore we should not touch
doubt. Everything except Krishna is doubtful. We claim that people have to come to
us, to become liberated. But no, they can get everything from Srila Prabhupada’s
books.”

- Amoghadrk Krishna das, Denmark.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

256
N.E.T.W.O.R.K of Bhagavatam
The following is an excerpt from the lecture given by our loving Guru Maharaj H H
Mahavishnu Goswami on December 12, 2006 on Srimad Bhagavatam 11.7.1-3 at Sri Sri
Radha-Neelamadhav Dham, Rajkot.

In the summary of this chapter Uddhava states that renouncing material things in a
spirit of detachment is the source of the highest auspiciousness, but such renunciation
is certainly extremely difficult to accomplish for living entities other than the devotees
of the Supreme Lord, because those living entities are very attached to sense gratification.
Gurudeva explained that our relation with Krishna is eternal either we consider Him as
our friend, master, child or whatever but one thing we should never forget is that He is
our eternal Father and so He is very well aware of our requirements and desires. And
whatever we possess today or tomorrow according to our karma is by His mercy only.
Therefore renouncing anything to attain success in our devotional service has to be our
prime motive. Srila Prabhupada makes this point in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam
1.2.14, “If realization of the Absolute Truth is the ultimate aim of life, it must be carried
out by all means.” ‘All means’ implies that we should be ready to do anything and
everything to please Krishna.

There are so many renounced people in this world. Even many of us have renounced
something or the other - televisions, cinemas, eating outside etc. But that is not enough.
Maharaj said, “Ananya bhakti should be performed; our approach should be to love Him.
Though genuine demands are always to be fulfilled, still our demands have to be almost
nil. Krishna is so merciful and whatever we deserve we are provided. More than anything
else we have to be different from general mass of people. Knowingly or unknowingly we
(devotees) are very dear to Krishna. Ananya bhakti also demands austerities to be performed
and if there are no austerities nothing can be achieved.”

Gurudeva clarified on this point further, “Whatever austerities we perform are ultimately
for our benefits only, pulling us out of the cycle of 8,400,000 births and deaths. Material
activities or anti-devotional service is the reason for our unsuccessfulness in every step
of our life. Hence we should be always ready to increase our austerities.”

Maharaj concluded with a hammering remark, “Krishna is present here with us in the
form of Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Bhagavad-Gita should be on the tip of
our tongue and Srimad Bhagavatam is magnified Bhagavad-Gita. Bhagavatam teaches
us the knowledge to live, let live and the art of dying. It is only Bhagavatam which can

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

connect us with Krishna because it’s N.E.T.W.O.R. K. (Nothing Except The Words
Of Real Knowledge) is extremely powerful. When we do not follow Krishna’s
instructions we separate ourselves from Him.”

“Just as only oxygen is suitable for breathing similarly only Prabhupada’s Bhagavatam
can satisfy our soul. This Bhagavatam has to also be compulsorily passed down. I may
know and you may know, but this should also be presented to our future generation.
Preach purely and seriously so that we can spread this NETWORK for the generations to
come.”

I am very fortunate and delighted to share with you these words of wisdom from our
Guru Maharaj by whose slight glance upon us can deliver us to our eternal father.

- Nayanapriya Krishna das, Rajkot.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

258
Kali-yuga is an Excuse
Our beloved spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj gave a class in
December 2006, on the verses from Srimad Bhagavatam 3.32.34-36, for the third
consecutive day.

kriyayä kratubhir dänais tapaù-svädhyäya-marçanaiù


ätmendriya-jayenäpi sannyäsena ca karmaëäm

yogena vividhäëgena bhakti-yogena caiva hi


dharmeëobhaya-cihnena yaù pravåtti-nivåttimän

ätma-tattvävabodhena vairägyeëa dåòhena ca


éyate bhagavän ebhiù saguëo nirguëaù sva-dåk

“By performing fruitive activities and sacrifices, by distributing charity, by performing


austerities, by studying various literatures, by conducting philosophical research, by
controlling the mind, by subduing the senses, by accepting the renounced order of
life and by performing the prescribed duties of one’s social order; by performing the
different divisions of yoga practice, by performing devotional service and by exhibiting
the process of devotional service containing the symptoms of both attachment and
detachment; by understanding the science of self-realization and by developing a
strong sense of detachment, one who is expert in understanding the different processes
of self-realization realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is represented
in the material world as well as in transcendence.”

Maharaj said that only the Vedic literature can provide us the true knowledge. Putting
this knowledge into practice is Srimad Bhagavatam Vedic culture which will save us
from all kinds of miseries. Any touching sensation is the womb of miseries. Gurudeva
gave an example of a pillow. As long as we touch it we find it soft and it also gives us
nice sleep. But on the contrary sleep stops us from reading and chanting. Every material
thing is a womb of miseries unless used for the service of Krishna. People of Western culture
and their idea of unwanted man-woman relations, call our scriptures a mythology only
because it is impossible for them to imagine the cycle of 8,400,000 births. Nowadays
women are exploited in the name of liberation. Western clothing is a nasty idea.
Distinction between men and women is a natural way, it cannot be changed. First of
all women should be given protection more than liberation. Unless women and children
are protected the whole society cannot progress, and when there is no progress you lose
faith in the real process which is only Krishna bhakti.

Today’s societies are shameless. Even a thought of building relationship with women
other than wife is similar to doing it. These bad thoughts should be stopped and the
only process is doing continuous Harinam Kirtan. Especially this young age is for learning
the scriptures and not going behind men and women. There is nothing in the material
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body except bags of stool and urine. Only because of the presence of our Paramatma
in our heart, do we not stink badly when sitting together. Why are you proud of this
filthy material body? Open your eyes and use your brain Maharaj said, “Honor the
scriptures. Read Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. The nectar is already there,
the only the thing is to use your intelligence. Pay attention to scriptures rather than
food. Nothing remains in the stomach for long but everything remains in the brain at
some corner forever. Therefore fill your brain with these unique scriptures which
will stay with your soul eternally. Everything is possible if you have the will, Kali-
yuga is just an excuse. Even in this age of Kali-yuga nothing stopped Prabhupada
from spreading this Krishna consciousness movement throughout the world. When
there is no sincere desire, Kaliyuga works because we permit. Please, please, please
- stop all nonsense activities and read as much as possible. And with reading research
is necessary. Mere study of phenomena is wrong, real knowledge is to search the
original cause. Everything takes time, read, read and read. The more you read about
Krishna the more He reveals.

- Nayanapriya Krishna das, Rajkot.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

260
Close the eyes (I’s) of Kali-yuga
The following is an excerpt from the lecture given by our Guru Maharaj H H Mahavishnu
Goswami on 16.12.2006 on Srimad Bhagavatam 11.7.5 at Sri Sri Radha-NeelaMadhav
Dham, Rajkot.

na vastavyaà tvayaiveha mayä tyakte mahé-tale


jano ‘bhadra-rucir bhadra bhaviñyati kalau yuge

“My dear Uddhava, you should not remain here on the earth once I have abandoned
this world. My dear devotee, you are sinless, but in Kali-yuga the people will be
addicted to all types of sinful activities; therefore do not stay here.”

Gurudeva explained, “Because we are in the age of Kali we are deteriorating day-by-day.
Our food, our behaviour, our culture are all affected due to material things and material
activities. It is not that we are to be blamed only for engaging more and more in such
non-sensical activities but also for encouraging others and our children too into these
pitfalls. You will be definitely put into even more miseries and difficulties if you try to
solve your material problems through material ideas. How is it possible to extinguish
fire by pouring in more ghee? This world is a bank and everybody has a joint account
with problems. Problems may differ for each of us but they are always there. If we try to
solve one problem, another problem comes up. If we solve that problem another one is
waiting. This way there is enough for us in this material world.

In purport of Srimad Bhagavatam 1.11.3, Srila Prabhupada says, “The material existence
of our present status is full of fear. Out of the four problems of material existence, namely the
food problem, the shelter problem, the fear problem and the mating problem, the fear problem
gives us more trouble than the others. We are always fearful due to our ignorance of the next
problem. The whole material existence is full of problems, and thus the fear problem is always
prominent.” The solution is there to each and every problem only in the scriptures,
mainly Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Only if we are satisfied with our material
situation somehow or other, can these scriptures touch us. Then by trying to follow the
instructions of the scriptures we should search out a genuine way of living.

The reason for my lectures that suggest you more on practical living is to save you from
the influence of maya. Always engaging in service of Krishna either chanting, reading,
preaching or serving. The deities will never keep you away from His mercy. Remember
the root of all difficulties is only one- forgetfulness of Krishna. When there is absence of
Krishna there is something else which is maya. Close the following eyes “I’s” of Kali.

1. Illicit relations (relation with men/women other than married partner)


2. Ilegal money making (gambling, stealing, etc.)
3. Intoxication habits (tobacco, cigarettes, etc.)
4. Innocent animal food (being a pure vegetarian).
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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Turn towards good things. See good in all, ponder only good things from others and
magnify them so much that the bad things are nowhere to be seen. Stop criticising others
and do not find defects in them because we too are similar, somehow or the other. When
a devotee asked Prabhupada as to how to know who is a pure good devotee, Prabhupada
replied, “A good devotee is one who considers everyone else as a pure devotee except himself.”
Good is always good and only good things survive, bad and false things cannot continue
for long. Keep good habits, have good thoughts and always speak good words but without
any attachment. Anything that is good either material or spiritual - that is Krishna. Lord
Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita, 10.41:

yad yad vibhütimat sattvaà çrémad ürjitam eva vä


tat tad evävagaccha tvaà mama tejo-’àça-sambhavam

“Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of
My splendor.”

Who does not like good things, good words and a good person? Anybody either a
devotee or a non-devotee person are all attracted towards goodness - the product of
Krishna. Even a godless person likes to wear good clothes, live in a good house and
have a good wife. Unknowingly they too are living with Krishna, but their centre point
of living is missing - knowing Krishna, which is unknown to their inferior knowledge.
Srila Prabhupada has very aptly said in 1.5.22, “All knowledge not engaged in the service
of Krishna is but nescience.”

I beg for the blessing of our spiritual master to shower upon me mercy so that I can
understand the real knowledge in real practical way.

- Nayanapriya Krishna das, Rajkot.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

262
Don’t Talk but Walk
In a lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 3.32.34-36, Maharaj explains about karma, vikarma
and akarma activities.

kriyayä kratubhir dänais tapaù-svädhyäya-marçanaiù


ätmendriya-jayenäpi sannyäsena ca karmaëäm

yogena vividhäëgena bhakti-yogena caiva hi


dharmeëobhaya-cihnena yaù pravåtti-nivåttimän

ätma-tattvävabodhena vairägyeëa dåòhena ca


éyate bhagavän ebhiù saguëo nirguëaù sva-dåk

“By performing fruitive activities and sacrifices, by distributing charity, by performing


austerities, by studying various literatures, by conducting philosophical research, by
controlling the mind, by subduing the senses, by accepting the renounced order of
life and by performing the prescribed duties of one’s social order; by performing the
different divisions of yoga practice, by performing devotional service and by exhibiting
the process of devotional service containing the symptoms of both attachment and
detachment; by understanding the science of self-realization and by developing a
strong sense of detachment, one who is expert in understanding the different processes
of self-realization realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is represented
in the material world as well as in transcendence.”

From the three kinds of actions, namely action, forbidden action and inaction, the best
among these three is action and still better is action with fruitless desires. This is called
seva. In Bhagavad-Gita verse 4.17 Lord Krishna says,

karmaëo hy api boddhavyaà boddhavyaà ca vikarmaëaù


akarmaëaç ca boddhavyaà gahanä karmaëo gatiù

“The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one should know
properly what action is, what forbidden action is, and what inaction is.”

All instructions opposite to Bhagavad-Gita are vikarma or forbidden activities or


simply uncontrolled activities. e.g. smoking, gambling, chewing tobacco etc. These
activities bring in different kinds of diseases. Diseases also come in through laziness
and this is due to lying in bed - inaction. Laziness is the first symptoms of Kali-yuga
and the reason for this is absence of svädhyäya - studying and researching and
ultimately preaching of the scriptures. Sleep should be minimized for the movement
of the body. Movement is necessary for the body by walking and for the soul by
studying. Maharaj said that not simply moving, even thieves move during night - no,

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not that, this is misdirection. Movement means instead of going to gym, the same
thing can be done at home and office by cleaning the environment, our surroundings
etc, walking as much as possible will keep you active and chanting is movement of
the mouth. Good association, home-made food and simple living are compulsory.
Why force our body to detoriate? Why do what other general mass of people do?
Either they are lacking perfect knowledge or either they are ignoring it. When you
have some pain and if you ignore it, it does not go away, but increases.

Gurudeva advised us to perform only productive labor. Don’t talk but walk. Here talking
means reading the scriptures only philosophically and walking means putting the same
thing into practice. Don’t see what others do not do, see what you can do. Because
knowing is not enough - following is necessary. We ignore purity by following impurity.
By not following the scriptures perfectly we give power to non-sense. And to stop this,
controlling the senses is the only way. But this can be done only by chanting. Chanting
is the root. Maharaj said that neglecting of chanting is as good as vikarma - forbidden
action. Only more and more chanting will result in offenseless chanting. Only and only
sound vibration of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra can kill all our worries. Just as not
following the orders of our parents, we end up in difficulties and later worry, similarly
not following the orders of Lord Chaitanya of chanting the Maha-mantra is the root
cause of all our difficulties. Maharaj said, while sitting, traveling, waiting etc. utilize this
time simply by chanting and reading instead of dreaming.

I beg for the mercy of Guru Maharaj to bless me with persistent chanting so that I can
progress in my attempt to perform devotional service.

- Nayanapriya Krishna das, Rajkot.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

264
Don’t Forsake the Vibrations
On the most auspicious occasion of the advent of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita which is
celebrated as Gita Jayanti, we will all be reciting the whole Bhagavad-Gita. To
understand the value of the recitation of the transcendental sound vibration of
Bhagavad-Gita, which emanated from the lotus lips of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, at the end of reciting each chapter, we recite the following verse from
Srimad Bhagavatam 1.6.25 along with translation and purport, as per the instructions
of our beloved Guru Maharaj and this increases our faith in the recitation and makes
us vibrate the verses lovingly.

etävad uktvopararäma tan mahad


bhütaà nabho-liìgam aliìgam éçvaram
ahaà ca tasmai mahatäà mahéyase
çérñëävanämaà vidadhe ‘nukampitaù

“Then that supreme authority, personified by sound and unseen by eyes, but most
wonderful, stopped speaking. Feeling a sense of gratitude, I offered my obeisances
unto Him, bowing my head.”

PURPORT
That the Personality of Godhead was not seen but only heard does not make any difference.
The Personality of Godhead produced the four Vedas by His breathing, and He is seen
and realized through the transcendental sound of the Vedas. Similarly, the Bhagavad-
gita is the sound representation of the Lord, and there is no difference in identity. The
conclusion is that the Lord can be seen and heard by persistent chanting of the
transcendental sound.

Maharaj gave a wonderful lecture in Singapore to make us understand the importance


of these vibrations and I have transcribed the same and I am sharing it here for the
benefit and pleasure of the readers.

1. To vibrate nicely, cultivate the art of foreseeing


“The transcendental sound vibrations are absolute. The vibration is there which means
the vibrator must be there and this is the real experience of Krishna. That is why our
whole movement is based on kirtana, Harinäma kirtana particularly. If we follow this
Hari näma nothing else is required, because the vibrator is always with us, may be
unseen by our material eyes, but it doesn’t matter. We can see Him through our ears.
This is the art of foreseeing. We should cultivate this art. We do not foresee. Particularly
in our material conditions, we only tend to think about the present. We never perceive
that the whole thing is going to deteriorate. Deterioration is very fearful and we are so
very attached to the past, that it is very difficult to think that we have to leave. But truth
is always truth. By our not believing, it does not become untruth. As soon as we cultivate
the art of foreseeing, then our mind will agree to vibrate very nicely the vibration of the
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Supreme vibrator. He is present in every one of us in the form of localized paramätma.


We stop hearing Him and make a mess of everything. If the mess is there, we are far
away from Krishna and we lose everything. This life is not meant for making a mess.
So we should be very careful about these vibrations. Even now, with all different
motives, we are assembling together. We don’t assemble for spiritual progress. This
tendency must be forsaken. These tendencies are there because we do not know the
art of foreseeing. Everywhere we are seeing that the living entities are vanishing and
deteriorating. That is the order of the day. Regarding our own body and regarding our
own association, we are seeing so many changes. Is it very difficult to foresee? But we
try to brush it aside. Whether we brush it aside or not, reality is reality. Try to recognize
this. Then we will not waste our time or poke our nose here and there.

2. Our body requires only these vibrations


A straight forward life is a healthy life. Health is not our goal but at the same time, the
body must be in a working condition. It doesn’t require anything for working condition,
except these vibrations. The other things are useless. So come together always and
chant and that is the best thing. Don’t forsake the vibrations at any moment. Everywhere
we see that the music therapy is successful. They say that classical music is the best
therapy in the world. In cow protection centres, the experience is that with the classical
music tapes, the cows give more milk.

3. Harinama is the greatest wealth


Lord Krishna uses only a bamboo flute and his hands are decorated with that. vaàçé
vibhüñita karän. He teaches us simplicity this way. We try to be simple because we are
stingy. This stingy attitude must be taken out. This attitude is again because we don’t
know the art of foreseeing. And we want to save and save and save. Use the wealth at
least for yourself, if not for others. Regarding miserliness, our mind is very tricky. It will
argue with you that you have to save or hoard. It is a silly argument under the excuse of
children. Those who do not keep money for their children, their children are safe because
they know the value of money. And they do not develop bad qualities. Those who have
money, they may cultivate bad qualities. The point is that our hoarding for anybody
does not help that living entity too much. If the living entity is not Krishna conscious or
God conscious, then however much we hoard for him, that hoarding itself will kill him.
I don’t discourage to keep some allowance but too much is troublesome. Harinama is
the greatest wealth and this wealth if we can successfully pass on to the younger
generation, then there is nothing like that. This wealth will always be useful to them
and they will never lose it.”

- Vaiajayanti mala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

266
Avoid Grabbing Tendency
The following are some of the points from my notebook in which I had taken notes
from the study of Bhagavatam and Caitanya Caritamrta and also some of the very valuable
notes taken from our Guru Maharaj’s lecture. It was really a pleasant experience to go
through the notes I had taken several years back. Maharaj always used to insist that we
should always keep writing whatever we read and it will always help at a later time. It is
a 100% true statement. Today we will share with you some punching statements that
Maharaj made during his class on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.6.24 in a morning class in
Rajkot on November 9, 2004.

matir mayi nibaddheyaà na vipadyeta karhicit


prajä-sarga-nirodhe ‘pi småtiç ca mad-anugrahät

“Intelligence employed in My devotion cannot be thwarted at any time. Even at the


time of creation as well as the time of annihilation, your remembrance will continue
by My mercy.”

Maharaj was relating how everything is ultimately a property of the Supreme Lord and
we cannot claim ownership of anything in this world, even the so-called things that we
possess as our own. He was quoting the verse ishäväsyam idam sarvam and mentioned
that if we understand this verse properly then we will not have any hankerings in our
life. By keeping ourself sane, we can invite the Lord’s favorable and auspicious glance
upon us.

Notes from Maharaj’s Class

1. If the vitality of our human existence disappears, it leads to lack of immunity from
material forces in us.

2. Applying our intelligence in Krishna’s service means to be free from lethargy and
laziness.

3. We have to understand the verse ishäväsyam idam sarvam verse completely. This will
help us avoid grabbing tendency.

éçäväsyam idam sarvaà yat kiïca jagatyäà jagat


tena tyaktena bhuïjéthä mä gådhaù kasya svid dhanam

“Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned
by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself,
which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing
well to whom they belong.”

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4. One who does not have the grabbing tendency, will be very much respected in this
world.

5. Srila Prabhupada was so much respected all over the world because he did not have
a tinge of grabbing tendency in him. He thought, “If there are devotees in India, then
there must be devotees in other parts of the world also. Because Krishna is everywhere,
His devotees must also be everywhere.”

6. Illicit grabbing is a result of violence. We must avoid it.

7. There is a vast difference between richness and opulence. A rich man may be
wealthy, but an opulent man will dedicate all his riches in Krishna’s service.

Then Maharaj insisted on serious study of Srimad Bhagavatam saying the following
points:

1. Any time when we recite Bhagavatam, we should be very careful to see that it doesn’t
degrade into a ritual. We must study and recite Bhagavatam relishing it fully.

2. Those who are not with Bhagavatam are extremely unlucky people in this world.

3. Problems may be there always, but we should never leave Bhagavatam. That is the
best way to stay away from the ill-effects of problems in this world.

I pray to the Supreme Lord and Guru Maharaj to give me the opportunity to keep
studying the scriptures and take notes seriously and try to implement the jewels of
wisdom coming from the mouth of the pure devotee, in this life time.

- Kalacakra Krishna das, Bangalore.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

268
Avoid Showy Religious Fervor
On Vyäsa Puja day in December 2007, Maharaj gave the following thought provoking
instructive lecture in Sri Sri Radha-NeelaMadhav Dham in Rajkot. Referring to rhymes
- “Always remember Krishna” composed by H G Atmaprasad Prabhu from Minneapolis,
Maharaj was explaining the shloka 3.8 in Bhagavad-Gita where-in Krishna says:

niyataà kuru karma tvaà karma jyäyo hy akarmaëaù


çaréra-yäträpi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmaëaù

“Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot
even maintain one’s physical body without work.”

On the pretense of doing devotional service, we must not be careless in our material
duties. There should not be any room for lethargy. Maharaj said - “Devotional service
begins from doing material duties nicely. A grain of practice is worthier than tonnes of
faithlessness. In transcendence there is no rest. The more you serve, the more good it is
for your spiritual as well as bodily well-being. Keep this in your mind, even if you are
not able to follow it now. If it at least remains in your mind, someday you would start
following it. In the Varaha Purana it is stated:

yastu bhagavato bhutvä na grnäti ganitrkäm


äsuris tasya diksha tu na sa dharmäya vidyate
ganitrkäm grahitväyo mantram cintayet budhah
janmäntara sahasräni cinto ‘ham ca tena vai

“After becoming a devotee or engaging in devotional service to the Lord, if one does
not accept a japa-mala, his initiation is considered to be demoniac. This kind of
initiation is not very beneficial for religious principles. If one chants on his beads
properly, then the Supreme Personality of Godhead remembers this intelligent devotee
for thousands of births and rewards the devotee spiritual perfection.”

We should perform our duties as well as devotional service. He said - “16 rounds is a
must. Otherwise spiritual progress will be NIL. If you forget your rounds, then rounds
will forget you.You have to accept japamala. This is very important. Don’t use clickers.
Don’t be worried as to what others will think if you use japa-mala. When you touch the
japa-mala, unknowingly you will concentrate. Even when chanting using japa-mala, it
is equally important to keep the bag clean. It will hardly take 5 minutes to wash.
Everything should be done nicely. If there are dirty clothes, they must also be folded
properly and kept aside, with sufficient eagerness to clean it soon. Please be serious
about this. Doing arathi with dirty clothes lying around is not acceptable. Showy religious
fervor is not required.”

- Sudarshana devi dasi, Bangalore.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Offering Prayers
In one of his recent lectures in Rajkot, Maharaj was making a very important point.
He said, “Many times we do not know how to pray to Krishna. We may have lot of
things to ask Krishna, but we should approach the Lord with the proper mood. This
we can learn from Srimad Bhagavatam where so many devotees offer their prayers to
the Lord. So, we should not only concentrate on the prayers in the Bhagavatam but
also the verses before the prayers and the Lord’s response after that. The verses
before the prayers teach us the proper mood with which we should approach the
Lord.”

One of the most wonderful prayers in Bhagavatam was offered by Sri Bhishmadev who
is celebrated as one of the twelve mahajanas. His prayers were very significant because
he offered them when he was in utmost pain, lying down in the bed of arrows and
waiting to leave the body. His mood is described in Srimad Bhagavatam 1.9.31:

viçuddhayä dhäraëayä hatäçubhas


tad-ékñayaiväçu gatä-yudha-çramaù
nivåtta-sarvendriya-våtti-vibhramas
tuñöäva janyaà visåjaï janärdanam

“By pure meditation, looking at Lord Sri Krishna, he at once was freed from all material
inauspiciousness and was relieved of all bodily pains caused by the arrow wounds.
Thus all the external activities of his senses at once stopped, and he prayed
transcendentally to the controller of all living beings while quitting his material body.”

We shall try to understand a few of the important words in this verse.

1. viçuddhayä dhäraëayä - By purified meditation.


We should meditate purely on Krishna devoid of all distractions, either of the pains of
our mind and body or of the various allurements offered by the material energy in the
form of wealth, family, friends etc. Only then can we invoke sincere prayers in our
heart.

2. hata-açubhaù - One who has minimized the inauspicious qualities of material


existence.
During our entire life, we gather so much inauspiciousness and contamination in the
form of sinful thoughts and activities. We also associate with so many sinful entities
everyday. But we should get rid of all this from our minds when we pray to Krishna.
This will increase our intensity of prayer.

3. tad ékñayä eva - By looking at Lord Sri Krishna.


Looking at Krishna is very important for our prayer. We may look at Him in the form of
His murti or we may see Him through the mantras. Both have the same effect. But
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Offering Prayers

seeing Him is important because many times we may recite the prayers but our mind
will be somewhere else. Or, we may be standing in front of the deity, but instead of
meditating on the beautiful form of Lord Krishna, we will be thinking of everything
else happening in the world. This distractive mind has no way to approach the Lord
in the form of prayers. When Bhishmadev looked at Lord Krishna, he was at once
freed from all the material inauspiciousness and was relieved of all bodily pains caused
by the arrow wounds. We can imagine how much satisfying it will be for us, if we do
the same.

4. nivåtta-sarvendriya-våtti-vibhramah - All the senses which were widely engaged in


so many mundane activities are being stopped.
This is another important factor. It is through our senses that our mind satisfies all its
desires. So, when the senses are engaged in all mundane activities, the mind thinks only
about the inferior things. On the other hand, when the senses are completely withdrawn
from mundane sense enjoyment (yadä samharate cäyam kurmo ngäneeva sarvashah),
they can be engaged in superior sense enjoyment by seeing the form of Krishna, hearing
His names and pastimes, singing His names and pastimes etc.

By following these steps, we can definitely make more sensible prayers to the Lord and
invoke His mercy. I sincerely pray that let me absorb these qualities in my prayers first
before advising others.

- Kalacakra Krishna das, Bangalore.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

271
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Offering with Our Hearts


While we were listening to a recorded lecture of our spiritual master H H Mahavishnu
Goswami Maharaj, we heard Maharaj giving some startling revelations and quoting two
examples from Srimad Bhagavatam, as to how dangerous, possessing wealth is for our
devotional service.

He started by saying, “First of all we have to accept the supreme authority of Krishna.
Second we have to accept that we are completely under His control. And then, we
should always remember that whatever Krishna does to us is ultimately for our good
only. Unless we realize these facts, we cannot improve our devotion in any way.”

He then quoted two completely contrasting examples, “Sudama, as we all know, was in
complete poverty. Though he was an intimate friend of the Lord, he tolerated the poverty.
He did not feel at any time that he was suffering. Nor was he thinking, “Oh my friend
Krishna is the wealthiest person. Let me ask for some wealth.” It was only when his wife
requested, that he thought of going, that too taking this opportunity to meet his long
time friend. He had completely accepted the Lord’s supreme authority and control by
accepting his situation as it is. Because of his submissive nature, the Lord bestowed
upon him, immense wealth even without asking for it.

On the other hand, the sons of Kuvera (Nalaküvara and Maëigréva) were very much
intoxicated with pride of possessing unlimited wealth. They had so much of their father’s
wealth at their disposal. Always, easy money makes us go crazy. As soon as we get easy
money, we start thinking as Krishna says in Gita 16.15,

äòhyo ‘bhijanavän asmi ko ‘nyo ‘sti sadåço mayä


yakñye däsyämi modiñya ity ajïäna-vimohitäù

“I am the richest man, surrounded by aristocratic relatives. There is none so powerful


and happy as I am. I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give some charity, and thus I
shall rejoice.’ In this way, such persons are deluded by ignorance.”

Because of this intoxication, they were playing naked in a lake with the other ladies.
Narada muni happened to pass by that way and seeing their nasty behavior he cursed
them to become trees. Krishna says again in Gita, “na shaucam näpi cäcäro” - there is no
cleanliness nor is there good behavior in such people who are maddened by possessing
a lot of wealth. Somehow, once they were cursed they realized their mistake and Narada
muni blessed them that Krishna will relieve them of the curse when He comes down to
the earth to manifest His pastimes.”

It is very important for us to realize the subtle effects that our wealth has on us, even
when we perform whatever bhakti we are doing. We may be making some donation to
some devotional cause itself. But the thought lingers on in our minds, “Oh, I have given
272
Offering with Our Hearts

so much to the temple”, or “I have given so much dakshina to this Maharaj” etc. Then
subtly we develop the expectations, “I have to be welcomed properly”, “This Maharaj is
dependent on my wealth, so I can deal with him in whatever way I want” and so on.
This is just one step before committing spiritual suicide, because neither does Krishna
nor His pure devotees depend on our wealth, nor are we capable of serving Him with
our puny little wealth. On the other hand, by giving our wealth to Him, we are only
purifying our own existence.

Tons of gold will not satisfy the Lord if offered without bhakti. Whereas, even if we are
a pauper, if we simply pray to the Lord offering a leaf of Tulasi and a few drops of water
saying, “My dear Lord, from today, I am Yours”, the Lord sells Himself to such a devotee.

I would like to make my humble prayer to the Lord on behalf of every sincere soul
around the world, at the juncture of so many big spiritual projects going on, including
the Rajkot Sri Sri Radha-NeelaMadhav temple. Whatever amount of wealth we may
want to contribute according to our capacity, let it come with sincere devotion, that this
is actually the Lord’s wealth and I am only purifying myself by giving it back to Him. If
we give with such an attitude, and continue to possess that humble attitude, then the Lord
will be definitely pleased with our offering.

- Kalacakra Krishna das, Bangalore.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

273
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

Offering to Our Spiritual Master


I am sure today (December 15, 2005) every disciple of our spiritual master H H
Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj would have celebrated the Vyasa puja in their respective
countries. Today some of us from various parts of the world were blessed with the
personal association of our spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj here in
Rajkot for a wonderful celebration of Maharaj’s Vyasa puja.

The atmosphere at the temple was wonderful, devotees were exuberant and apart from
the god-brothers and god-sisters from various parts of the world there were also other
well-wishers who were touched by the sublime instructions of Maharaj, which changed
their lives. In the morning, devotees went to Maharaja’s room performing wonderful
kirtan and brought Maharaja to the temple in the van. Then we performed päda-puja
for Maharaj after which Maharaj gave a deeply thoughtful lecture from his years of
realizations and practice of Krishna consciousness through studying Srila Prabhupada’s
books. The message was nicely received by the eager ears of the audience. After Maharaj’s
lecture, the devotees representing various yatras came forward to present their offering
to Maharaj. One particular offering was wonderfully composed by H G Viraja Krishna
Prabhu from Australia. I would like to share it with all of you because it was personally
composed by Prabhuji in sanskrit and translated to English by himself. Viraj Prabhu is
an extremely humble devotee, though having so much talent of even composing poetry
in sanskrit, remains calm, cool and composed. Maharaj was very much appreciative of
Viraj Prabhu’s talent and devotion in composing this poetry which can be sung in the
Gopika geetham tune.

Sri Mahavishnu Goswami Kirti Ashtakam

çré kåñëa çaraëaà çaraëägatam


katha-amrtam satata pibatam
bhaktivedänta-märga panthanam
sarva loka-åñi-deva-jana prasannam

Following the path of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada,
you are constantly drinking the nectar of Krishna-katha, having fully surrendered,
taking shelter unto his lotus feet. Doing so, you have pleased the demigods, sages
and residents of all the planets.

bhaktivedanta nitya-siksha paöhantam


citta su-vicära hådaya kanöhanam
dayä-dåñöi-häsya-gambhéra väcanam
loka märga darçanam parama täraëam

274
Offering to Our Spiritual Master

Always engaged in learning the instructions of Srila Prabhupada given in his books,
seriously meditating and thinking over them again and again, engraving those
instructions in your heart, you preach, always bestowing your merciful glances, speech
decorated with humorous anecdotes, with gravity and with seriousness - in this way,
O foremost deliverer from this material ocean, you show the right path to the living
entities.

parama pävanam ca maìgala param


tuñöa-manä gata-spåha parama vimadam
bhümi sarvatra deça deça bhrämayam
kåñëa-rüpa-guëa-léla-näma géyatam

The foremost of purifying personalities, the foremost of auspicious personality,


travelling all over the world, wandering from country to country, self-satisfied in
mind, free from all material desires, without being proud, you sing the narrations of
Krishna’s transcendental form, names, activities, qualities and pastimes.

netra-divya-gopa-nanda-bäla darçanam
karna divya divya jihva näma kértanam
loka-jana-samsära-bhäva-vismåtam
kåñëacaranäravinda bhävanämåtam

Your transcendental eyes are constantly having audience of Sri Krishna, the son of
Nanda Maharaj. Your transcendental tongue and ears are relishing the Lord’s
transcendental names. Forgetting all the social formalities of the material world and
its residents, your consciousness is merged in relishing with great intensity, the nectar
of Sri Krishna’s lotus feet.

gäm gäm panthatam çré-dhäma praviñöam


çré dhäma seväyai dhäma-kértanam
sthäpya-mandira prema-bhakti-rüpam
su-vigraha çré-rukmininätha sthäpakam

Walking from village to village you entered the holy dhama of Dwaraka. You served
the Dwaraka dhama and you sang the glories of Dwaraka dhama. Having built the
temple of devotion, you installed the beautiful deities of Sri Dwarakadish, the husband
of the goddess of fortune Srimati Rukmini.

madana mohan mohini çré néla-mädhava


su-vigraha sthäpakam viddhi pürvakam
kåtajïa çauräñöra bhümi päda sparçanam
gagana garjayanti ambodha varñanam

275
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

In accordance with Vedic customs you installed the beautiful deities of Sri Sri Radha
NeelaMadhava in Rajkot. The drought stricken land of Saurashtra, having sparsha
(touch) of your lotus feet has become honoured. The clouds gathered, thundered
and bestowed rains to touch the honoured land of Saurashtra where upon your
holiness walked.
çré mahäviñëu siddhivän parama dayävän
divya guëa vibhüñita bhakti jïänavän
caraëa koti daëòavat çérña namanam
tava-kérti-kértanam-sadä e-däsa nivedam

O Srila Mahavishnu Goswami, the possessor of ultimate perfection, the foremost of


merciful personalities, your character is decorated with transcendental qualities. O
possessor of the knowledge of Absolute Truth, O possessor of love for the Supreme
Personality of Pleasure Sri Krishna, bowing my head and paying dandavats unto your
lotus feet millions and millions of times, this servant prays to eternally sing your
transcendental glories.

déna viraja kåñëa däsa géta caritam


guru mahäviñëu püjya deva arpaëam
guru seva abhiläña tévra bhävana
kià kariñyati adhama-päpa jévanam

Viraja Krishna das, with intense desire to serve sings the transcendental qualities of
his worshipable spiritual master Srila Mahavishnu Goswami. Making this offering
unto his lotus feet, he thinks, “My life is sinful - how will I ever be able to serve my
master.”

At the conclusion of the Vyasa puja ceremony, devotees gathered and read the second
canto of Srimad Bhagavatam for the pleasure of our spiritual master and Srila
Prabhupada. The day before the Vyasa Puja, devotees read the first canto and the
desire is to recite Srimad Bhagavatam every day for the next eighteen days. Those
who took part in the chanting of Granthraj Srimad Bhagavatam gave their testimony
that it was one of the best experiences they have ever had. For those of you who are
interested in taking up this vow to chant the mantra-murti form of Lord Sri Krishna,
please do so at your own convenience for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada, Gurudeva
and Lord Sri Krishna. We offer our prostrated obeisances to Srila Prabhupada and
Srila Gurudeva for so mercifully inviting us into the intimate association of the King
of Scriptures Srimad Bhagavatam.

- Kalacakra Krishna das, Bangalore.

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

276
Index of Verses Quoted
abhyarthitas tadä tasmai 138 SB 1.17.38
adveñöä sarva-bhütänäà 219 BG 12.13
aham eväsam evägre, 146 186 SB 2.9.33
ahaìkäraà balaà darpaà 64, 234 BG 18.53
ahany ahani bhütäni 106 Mahabharata Vana parva
ananyäç cintayanto mäà 154 BG 9.22
ananya-cetäù satataà 171 BG 8.14
asantuñöo ‘sakål lokän 195 SB 10.52.32
ataù çré-krishna-nämädi 89, 119 BRS 1.2.234
avajänanti mäà müòhä 152 BG 9.11
ähära-çuddhau sattva-çuddhiù sattva-çuddhau 162 Vedic shastras
änvékñikyä çoka-mohau 219 SB 7.15.23
äòhyo ‘bhijanavän asmi 272 BG 16.15
äpannaù saàsåtià ghoräà 133 SB 1.1.14
ätma-tattvävabodhena 259, 263 SB 3.32.36
ävåtaà jïänam etena 86 BG 3.39
äyur harati vai puàsäm 221 SB 2.3.17
bahir-jäta-virägäya 113 SB 3.32.42
balaà balavatäà cähaà 65 BG 7.11
bhrätåvyam enaà tad adabhra-véryam 164 SB 5.11.17
béjaà mäà sarva-bhütänäà 63 BG 7.10
brahma-nadyäà sarasvatyäm 15, 37 SB 1.7.2
buddhyä viçuddhayä yukto 64, 234 BG 18.51
cätur-varëyaà mayä såñöaà 191 BG 4.13
calat cittam calat vittam 233 Vedic Shastras
dayayä sarva-bhüteñu 187, 191, 206, 220 SB 4.31.19
dehe asthi mämsa rudhire abhimatim tyajasva 103 Bhagavata Mahatamya
dehé nityam avadhyo ‘yaà 104 BG 2.30
dehendriya-praana-mano-dhiyaam yo 172 SB 11.2.49
dehino ‘smin yathä dehe 108, 205, 242 BG 2.13
deva-saàjïitam apy ante, 79 SB 10.10.10
dharmam bhajasva satatam tyaja loka dharmän 85 Bhagavata Mahatmya
dhautätmä puruñaù kåñëa 124 SB 2.8.6
dåñövemaà sva-janaà kåñëa, 74 BG 1.28
duùkhauñadhaà tad api duùkham atad-dhiyähaà 13 SB 7.9.17
etävad uktvopararäma tan mahad 222, 265 SB 1.6.25
etävän avyayo dharmaù 229 SB 6.10.9
evaà vyavasito buddhyä 56 SB 8.3.1
gäm äviçya ca bhütäni 59 BG 15.13
gate shoko na kartavyo 71 Chanakya Niti shastra
guëädhikän mudaà lipsed 113, 183 SB 4.8.34
harer näma harer näma 222 Brhad Naradiya Purana
hariù sadä vaset tatra, 227 Sri Kevalashtakam
idaà çaréraà pariëäma-peçalaà 62 Mukunda mala Stotra 37
indriyäëi paräëy ähur 64 BG 3.42
éçasya hi vaçe loko 165 SB 1.6.7
éçäväsyam idam sarvaà 119, 221, 267 Isopanishad 1
janmädy asya yato ‘nvayäd itarataç 149 SB 1.1.1
jaräyujaà svedajam aëòajodbhidaà 87 SB 5.18.32

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Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

jïätam etasya daurätmyaà 39, 42 SB 7.4.26


jïänaà yad äpratinivåtta-guëormi-cakram 181 SB 2.3.12
jïäne prayäsam udapäsya namanta eva 106 SB 10.14.3
jihvä na vakti bhagavad-guëa-nämadheyaà 46 SB 6.3.29
karmaëo hy api boddhavyaà 263 BG 4.17
karmaëy akarma yaù paçyed 204 BG 4.18
karma-jaà buddhi-yuktä hi 70 BG 2.51
kathayasva mahäbhäga 163 SB 2.8.3
kaumära äcaret präjëo 19 SB 7.6.1
käìkñantaù karmaëäà siddhià 89 BG 4.12
käla-karma-guëädhéno 93 SB 1.13.46
kälakshepo na kartavyah 82, 208 Vedic shastras
käma-krodha-vimuktänäà 223 BG 5.26
kecit kevalayä bhaktyä 199 SB 6.1.15
kevayaà näma-rüpäbhyäà 236 SB 1.8.38
ko ‘nv arthaù sukhayaty enaà 40, 114, 220 SB 11.10.20
kriyayä kratubhir dänais 259, 263 SB 3.32.34
krte yad dhyayato vishnum 109 SB 12.3.52
kåpayä bhütajaà duùkhaà 72 SB 7.15.24
lakñaëaà bhakti-yogasya 154 SB 3.29.12
mad-guëa-çruti-mätreëa 154 SB 3.29.11
mahatas tu vikurväëäd 103 SB 2.5.23
mahätmänas tu mäà pärtha 10 BG 9.13
mamaiväàço jéva-loke 129, 220 BG 15.7
man-manä bhava mad-bhakto 185 BG 9.34
manye dhanäbhijana-rüpa-tapaù-çrutaujas 95 SB 7.9.9
manye tväà kälam éçänam 46 SB 1.8.28
matir mayi nibaddheyaà 267 SB 1.6.24
matir na kåñëe parataù svato vä 94 SB 7.5.30
mattaù parataraà nänyat 145 BG 7.7
mä bhaiñöa vibudha-çreñöhäù 39,42 SB 7.4.25
mä kaïcana çuco räjan 93 SB 1.13.41
mätåvat para-däreñu 41, 240 Chanakya shloka
mäträ-sparçäs tu kaunteya 9, 193 BG 2.14
mitam bhuktva satam gatvä 163 Vedic Shastras
mukhaà karoti väcälaà 35 Vedic shastras
mukunda-liìgälaya-darçane dåçau 94, 224 SB 9.4.19
måñä giras tä hy asatér asat-kathä 198 SB 12.12.49
na hi bhagavann aghaöitam idaà 44 SB 6.16.44
na hi kaçcit kñaëam api 175 BG 3.5
na me pärthästi kartavyaà 175 BG 3.22
na tasya kaçcit tapasä vidyayä vä 51 SB 5.1.12
na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëuà 73 SB 7.5.31
na vastavyaà tvayaiveha 261 SB 11.7.5
naitat khaläyopadiçen 109 SB 3.32.39
naivävidan kñéyamäëaà 73 SB 10.20.37
namämi devam karunä nidhänam 100 Padma Purana
nähaà tiñöhämi vaikuëöhe 227 Padma Purana
nämäny anantasya hata-trapaù paöhan 22 SB 1.6.26
näräyaëaà namaskåtya 40, 250 SB 1.2.4
neha yat karma dharmäya 175 SB 3.23.56
nirapekñaà munià çäntaà 196 SB 11.14.16
niùçväse nähi viçväsaù 53 Sri Kevalashtakam

278
Index of Verses Quoted

niyataà kuru karma tvaà 269 BG 3.8


nottamaçloka-värtänäà 16 SB 1.18.4
oà namo bhagavate dharmäyätma-viçodhanäya 97 SB 5.18.2
oà pürëam adaù pürëam idaà 153 Sri Isopanishad
pädau hareù kñetra-padänusarpaëe 64, 224 SB 9.4.20
påthvé reëur aëuù payäàsi kaëikäù phalguù 179 Mukunda mala stotra 14
prabhu mere avagun chit na daro 226 Surdas bhajan
präëasya çodhayen märgaà 52 SB 3.28.9
prajahäti yadä kämän 203 BG 2.55
prakrteh kriyamänäni 125 BG 3.27
pramattam uccair iti kåtya-cintayä 105 SB 4.24.66
puëyo gandhaù påthivyäà ca 60 BG 7.9
puruña-sva-bhäva-vihitän 216 SB 1.9.26
räga-dveña-vimuktais tu 22, 121, 176 BG 2.64
raso ‘ham apsu kaunteya 58 BG 7.8
åco akñare parame vyoman yasmin devä 144 Svetasvatara Upanishad 4.8
åte ‘rthaà yat pratéyeta 130 SB 2.9.34
sa kathaà sevayä tasya 252 SB 3.2.3
sa vai manaù krñëa-padäravindayor 94, 224 SB 9.4.18
sa vai puàsäà paro dharmo 247 SB 1.2.6
saìkértyamäno bhagavän anantah 109, 197 SB 12.12.48
samo ‘haà sarva-bhüteñu 111 BG 9.29
santuñöaù satataà yogé 219 BG 12.14
santuñöo yarhi varteta 195 SB 10.52.31
santuñöa triñu kartavyah 194 Chanakya Niti shastra
sarvasya cähaà hådi sanniviñöo 60 BG 15.15
satya-vrataà satya-paraà tri-satyaà 145 SB 10.2.26
so ‘nanto ‘nta-karaù kälo 239 SB 4.11.19
sri kåñëa sharanam samasta jagatäm 135 Vedic shastras
süryo ‘gniù khaà marud devaù 147 SB 6.1.42
sukhasya duhkhasya na kopi dätä 156 Subhashita
çraddadhänäya bhaktäya 112 SB 3.32.41
çåëvataù çraddhayä nityaà 54 SB 2.8.4
ñaò vikäräù çarérasya 104 Madhvacarya
tad eva ramyaà ruciraà navaà navaà 99, 198 SB 12.12.50
tad vai dhanus ta iñavaù sa ratho hayäs te 78, 95 SB 1.15.21
tadä rajas-tamo-bhäväù 127 SB 1.2.19
tad-väg-visargo janatägha-viplavo 19 SB 1.5.11
tapyante loka-täpena 230 SB 8.7.44
tasyaitasya jano nünaà 50 SB 3.30.1
tataù kñut-tåö-pariçränto 123 SB 4.26.11
tataù sa ägatya puraà sva-pitroç 215 SB 3.3.1
tathäpi kértayämy aìga 167 SB 3.6.36
teñäà satata-yuktänäà 111 BG 10.10
tiraskåtä vipralabdhäù 91 SB 1.18.48
tvaà tu sarvaà parityajya 68 SB 11.7.6
tvam apy adabhra-çruta viçrutaà vibhoù 100 SB 1.5.40
tvayi me ‘nanya-viñayä 213 SB 1.8.42
upadrañöänumantä ca 48 BG 13.23
uttamaç cintitaà kuryät 215 SB 9.18.44
vasudevaà-sutaà devaà 131 Sri Krishnashtakam
vepathuç ca çarére me 75 BG 1.29
viçuddha-sattvaà tava dhäma çäntaà 74 SB 10.27.4

279
Srimad Bhagavatam in Practice

viçuddhayä dhäraëayä hatäçubhas 270 SB 1.9.31


viñama-matir na yatra nåëäà 254 SB 6.16.41
viñëos tu tréëi rüpäëi 102 Satvata Tantra
viprän sva-läbha-santuñöän 195 SB 10.52.33
vivikta-sevé laghv-äçé 64, 234 BG 18.52
yaà labdhvä cäparaà läbhaà 10 BG 6.22
yad idaà manasä väcä 71, 185 SB 11.7.7
yad yad vibhütimat sattvaà 178, 262 BG 10.41
yad yan niruktaà vacasä nirüpitaà 88 SB 6.4.29
yadä yadä hi dharmasya 101 BG 4.7
yadåcchayopapannena 222 SB 8.19.24
yarhy eväyaà mayä tyakto 201 SB 11.7.4
yastu bhagavato bhutvä na grnäti ganitrkäm 269 Varaha Purana
yasyäà vai çrüyamäëäyäà 82 SB 1.7.7
yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä 136 SB 5.18.12
yathä dhenu sahasreshu 160 Mahabharata Anushasana parva
yat-kértanaà yat-smaraëaà yad-ékñaëaà 208 SB 2.4.15
yato yato niçcalati 190 BG 6.26
yaù çästra-vidhim utsåjya 244 BG 16.23
yaù kaçcaneço balino ‘ntakoragät 11, 108, 132 SB 8.2.33
yaù sva-dharmeëa mäà nityaà 246 SB 4.20.9
yaù svänubhävam akhila-çruti-säram ekam 127 SB 1.2.3
ye caiva sättvikä bhävä 66 BG 7.12
yeñäà tv anta-gataà päpaà 116, 148 BG 7.28
yoga-sthaù kuru karmäëi 204 BG 2.48
yogena vividhäëgena 259, 263 SB 3.32.35

hre k*-Z<a hre k*-Z<a k*-Z<a k*-Z<a hre hre hre raMa hre raMa raMa raMa hre hre

280

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